By Makutu Manneh
Gambia’s President, Adama Barrow while speaking at the 2024 Forum On China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China, welcomed the China-Africa economic agreement partnership to accelerate Africa’s Industrialisation and Agricultural Modernisation Process.
“The Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development between China and Africa in the areas of Agriculture, Trade, Investment, and other related fields will surely contribute to addressing Africa’s urgent need to attract investment. We welcome its huge potential to accelerate the continent’s crucial industrialisation and agricultural modernisation process,” he said.
President Barrow further indicated that the Framework is additionally expected to promote the high-quality economic development envisaged from their respective National Development strategies and that Africa’s participation in the global industrial development drive, global supply chain, and economic cooperation will manifestly and fruitfully improve.
African Leaders have converged in China to attend the China-Africa summit which started on the 4th and will end on the 6th of September, 2024. At this summit leaders of African countries will meet and discuss policies and cooperation agreements with Chinese officials which will establish the mood for the African countries and China’s growing relations for years to come.
President Barrow equally reiterated Gambia’s support and commitment to China in achieving their common goals, adding that the Government of The Gambia renews its commitment to the One China Principle.
“The friendship and bilateral relations between our two countries have grown progressively over the years and have risen to the level of ‘Strategic Partnership.’ Through participation in FOCAC, The Gambia has received various capacity-building support, infrastructural projects, and economic assistance to complement our development endeavours,” the president said.
“Strategically, in pursuance of my government’s development priorities, we have made sure that our National Development Plan (2023-2027) is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and the AU Development Agenda 2063.”
He said Africa being part of the forum increases the call for equitable participation in decision making in such important international bodies.
“Reflecting on the theme for this Summit, the Government of the Republic of The Gambia associates itself with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which, inspired by the ancient Silk Road, extends beyond the Eurasian continent to include Africa and Latin America, among others,” President Barrow said.
As the theme of the summit is “Joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future,” President Barrow said the Gambia government associates itself with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which, inspired by the ancient Silk Road, extends beyond the Eurasian continent to include Africa and Latin America, among others.
