Forum on China-Africa Cooperation |01 December 2021

Minister Ferrari

Minister Ferrari leads Seychelles’ delegation at the 8th ministerial conference

Designated Minister and Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jean-François Ferrari, led the Seychelles delegation at the 8th Ministerial Conference on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac), which took place in Dakar, Senegal, from November 29-30, 2021.

Focac has become the main mechanism that coordinates the bilateral cooperation matters and funding for projects between China and the African states. The Focac Summit, which usually takes place every three years, has been postponed to next year on account of the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Held under the theme ‘Deepening the Sino-African Partnership and Promoting Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era’, this year’s agenda of the Ministerial Conference focused on the implementation of the follow-up actions of the 2018 Beijing Summit, the situation of the China-Africa solidarity against Covid-19, and plans for the China-Africa relations in the next three years and beyond.

When addressing the conference, Minister Ferrari stressed on the importance of frank dialogue under the Focac, in order to achieve win-win cooperation.

“It is imperative, in a post Covid-19 world where we are all striving to build back better and greener, that the friendship between Africa and China remains firm and constant, in order to pave the way for both sides to derive maximum benefits from the Focac mechanism. Therefore, let us maintain this dynamic momentum of realising positive results in all of our cooperation areas, and at the same time explore new ways to improve the existing areas of collaboration,” pointed out the Seychelles minister.

On the issue of climate change, Minister Ferrari remarked, “It is my hope that together, guided by the Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Climate Change, we will all be able to pursue a more sustainable model of development that will not only ensure the survival of humanity, but bring prosperity to our peoples.”

Four outcome documents were adopted at the end of the conference, namely:

1)       FOCAC Dakar Declaration, which focuses on the important consensus reached by the two sides on the relations between China and Africa, including major international and regional issues;

2)     FOCAC Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024), which encompasses cooperation plans in various fields, and highlights the main follow-up actions for implementation of the Action Plan;

3)     China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, which aligns with the African Union Agenda 2063, with the Blue Economy included as part of its long-term roadmap;

4)     Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Climate Change, which indicates the common aspirations and the directions for cooperation to tackle climate change through concerted efforts under multilateral frameworks.

Minister Ferrari was accompanied by Patsy Moustache, director of Bilateral Affairs, Foreign Affairs department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.

Press release from the Foreign Affairs department