Youth Leaders met at  World Youth Development Forum

Youth Leaders met at  World Youth Development Forum

By Sarah Marjorey Kisakye

(Photos Courtesy of World Youth Development Forum)

 Around 2,000 youth representatives from more than 100 countries attended the World Youth Development Forum, which was held online and offline in several cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Nanjing.

The three days event from Thursday 21 July 2022  to Saturday 23 July 2022  organized  by the All-China Youth Federation and supported by the International Labour Organization, UNESCO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNCCD, the United Nations System in China and the World Economic Forum. Hosted by Tsinghua University, China Youth College for Political Science, Chinese Youth daily, China youth Development Foundation, CYIC and China youth entrepreneurship and employment foundation, Co-organized by the Institute of Contemporary World and China, China Youth New Media Association, Beijing Young People’s Federation, and Union of Foreign Affairs Universities.

The youthdiscussed the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, calling for more inclusive efforts in  the areas of”Employment and Entrepreneurship,” “Climate Change and Green Development” ,  “Digital Economy” , “Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education.”

Under  the theme “For a Shared Future: Promoting Sustainable Development with Youth and for Youth” , the International Youth Priority Development Initiative was launched and preparations  made for releasing the Global Action Plan on Youth development.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced by the UN 2030 Agenda have long been an important direction for the world’s youth to work together for a better future. This forum sets the stage for the world’s youth, and more voices of youth are heard by the world.

A video message  by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, called upon young people to play an active role in all aspects of political, economic and social life.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Youth, Jayatma Wickramanayake, noted  in a keynote speech via video, that the United Nations  youth strategy, “Youth 2030,” works to ensure that every young person is  fully included in the realization of the 2030 Agenda.

In congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping urged young people to represent hope and  create a brighter tomorrow, through promoting humanity and facilitating the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Xi also noted that the World Youth Development Forum is committed to letting the world hear the voice and demonstration of youth globally through promotion of youth responsibility, development and unity that transcends  barriers and differences,  to build a global bridge for youth to communicate and learn from each other.

At the forum, He Junke,  first secretary of the CYL Secretariat, called for more  attention to the voice of youth and firmly believing in the power of youth. All countries should give priority to promoting youth development. Young people from all over the world should strengthen exchanges and cooperation and contribute their youth to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Various key note speakers such as;; Gabriela Ramos, the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, , Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, and Chang Qide, UN Resident Coordinator in China and. President Bazoum of Niger who delivered  a video message at the forum, re echoed Youth development as vital to  global development, calling for youth participation as equal partners and stakeholders in policy development and implementation.

President of the (CPAFFC),  meets with representatives of African youth leaders in Beijing

President of the (CPAFFC),  meets with representatives of African youth leaders in Beijing

On July 27,2022  the President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC),  Ambassador Lin Songtian invited representatives of African youth leaders in Beijing to visit the CPAFFC, and had in-depth exchanges with them on China’s development history, achievements and experience, China-Africa friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation, international situation and other issues of common concern to increase understanding, understanding and friendship. Ji Yongjun, Deputy Director of the Asian and African Department, and others were present at the meeting. The 8 young leaders invited this time are leaders of international students from Gabon, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Mali, Chad, Zambia and other countries studying at Peking University, Tsinghua University among other universities in Beijing.

Amb. Lin Songtian introduced the great history and achievements of China’s reform and opening up and poverty alleviation, and said that China adheres to the leadership of the Communist Party and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and fully implements President Xi Jinping’s people-centered development thought, which has created rapid economic development and social development: The “two miracles” of long-term stability. China has embarked on a path of peaceful  and civilized development that suits its own national conditions with Chinese characteristics, which not only benefits all of the more than 1.4 billion people, but also provides new hope and new choices for developing countries in Africa to pursue independent and sustainable development. Combining his own experience, Amb. Lin Songtian interpreted China’s policy concept on Africa and the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and mentioned that China and Africa are natural good friends, good brothers and good partners, and China-Africa cooperation has broad prospects for development.

President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to China-Africa relations. He has visited Africa many times and attended the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Beijing Summit together with leaders of African countries, opening a new era of win-win cooperation and common development between China and Africa. The Chinese side has always kept its promises, and has always been committed to helping Africa to give priority to solving the three development bottlenecks of lagging infrastructure, lack of talents and shortage of funds, and to improve the ability of independent and sustainable development. The results of China-Africa cooperation in various fields are visible and tangible. ‘’Get it, feel it, and benefit the people of both sides’’. Amb. Lin Songtian said that at present, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation as a century of changes intertwined with the epidemic of the century.

The global economy has fallen into a downturn, and less developed countries in Africa have become victims of geopolitics in the United States and the West.  Africa is rich in natural and human resources, full of hope and vitality. Africa has been and is on the rise. Africa is in urgent need of infrastructure construction and human resource development, two major developments capacity building and financial support. Only by strengthening solidarity and cooperation can China and Africa jointly cope with risks and challenges, seek win-win cooperation and promote common development. Amb. Lin Songtian is  looking forward to the African youth to travel around China, conduct on-the-spot research on China’s development concepts and successful practices, enrich their knowledge, increase their ability to promote development and benefit the people, and translate what they have seen, heard and learned in China to promote African development and China-Africa cooperation.

The African side thanked Amb. Lin Songtian for his warm invitation and in-depth interpretation, expressed sincere admiration for China’s development achievements, and full of confidence in the future China-Africa cooperation. They are willing to bring what they have seen and heard back to Africa for the benefit of the African people. They hope that the CPAFFC can continue this dialogue mechanism in the future, continue to organize African youths to visit various places in China, and go to the grassroots to inspect China’s modernization construction practice.

China’s collaboration with Africa may help to eradicate world hunger

China’s collaboration with Africa may help to eradicate world hunger

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the UN World Food Program (WFP), and the Famine Early Warning System Network said in a statement recently, that millions of people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia face starvation due to severe drought.

More than seven million livestock have also died putting lives of millions of people in danger. The drought in the Horn of Africa is a recurrent problem year in year out. It’s not new. How can the countries affected reverse the trend and become more food secure?

Guoqi Wu, the associate vice-president of the Corporate Services Department at International Fund for Agriculture Development( IFAD), said in a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency that, “Sino-Africa cooperation in the agriculture sector could inject vitality into the continent’s quest to attain food security and tackle rural poverty.”

Wu said that China has for decades played a major role to help revolutionize Africa’s farming systems and feeding a rapidly growing population. “China, which became a member of IFAD in the 1980s, has provided the resources and expertise required to transform food production systems in a continent grappling with climate-induced food and nutrition insecurity, Wu added.”

It should be known that China is the biggest donor of IFAD among developing countries, and has partnered with UN agencies to promote South-South Cooperation that has been beneficial to Africa’s agriculture improvement.

In 2018, China contributed 10 million U.S. dollars to facilitate the setting up of a facility whose mission is to support knowledge sharing, transfer of technology, and good practices that can transform agriculture in developing countries including Africa, Wu said. It should also be noted that China has opened up agricultural demonstration centres in many countries in Africa to train farmers and agricultural experts on how to increase crop yields.

Wu said that African nations can borrow lessons from China, which has managed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, thanks to the adoption of forward-looking policies and new technologies. China eradicated absolute poverty in 2020, achieving the first UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 years ahead of schedule.

“I think the very first takeaway or best practices that China can share with African countries is the confidence that a world free of poverty and hunger is not a utopia, it is something which is attainable,” Wu stressed.

In a recent meeting of ministers for agricultural and rural affairs of the BRICS countries held virtually, China also called on BRICS countries to cooperate in order to stabilize food security. The member countries also agreed to establish an annual mechanism, the BRICS Agriculture and Rural Development Forum, to address issues close to their hearts and of global concern.

This is a good example to show that China is taking the lead to end hunger globally by providing both financial support to IFAD and also sharing best practices with other countries especially in the global South.

​Author: Hanane Thamik is currently a Ph.D. scholar at the School of Information Management, Wuhan University, simultaneously a member of the Morocco-China Friendship Exchange Association, the author of CGTN Africa, Africa-China Review and the Canadian magazine ( Etats de splendeur ). She was chosen as Morocco’s youth representative for the Belt and Road initiative by the Moroccan embassy in China, the Arab youth participant in the 9th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum 2020, the Ambassador of Wuhan City to the world by Changjiang Weekly Magazine, and the Moroccan Youth Representative 2020 (FOCAC, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs). She also won the awards of the Belt and Road Tourism ambassador 2019, the Outstanding African Student in China 2018, the Cultural Achievement Award by UNESCO, the Wuhan University Outstanding International Students award 2019 and 2021, the Maotai scholarship “Excellent academic performance and outstanding overall performance 2019 and 2021,” the outstanding individual among international students fighting novel coronavirus pneumonia 2020, the only Moroccan winner of the essay contest named “experience China -our anti-epidemic story” 2020 (China Scholarship Council), the Chinese Government Outstanding International Student in China 2020 ( China Scholarship Council ), the winner of the 5th “My Beautiful Encounter with China” essay contest for international students in China, and recently the first prize of the competition of the 37th Chu Cai Composition Competition. She was one of the successful 54 young people worldwide who has been selected to participate in a training program organized by the United Nations in Switzerland 2019. She has also more than 20 publications among them the United Nations Geneva 2019 report and Peking University 5000-mile reports 2020 and 2021 which were handed to high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Beijing.

China-financed electrified light rail transit (LRT) inaugurated in Egypt

China-financed electrified light rail transit (LRT) inaugurated in Egypt

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated the trial runs of Africa’s first electrified LRT system on Sunday, July 3rd, several Chinese and Egyptian media have reported.
The US$ 1.2 billion LRT project is financed by a loan from Exim Bank of China and jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies under the Belt and Road initiative. Once completed, it will cover a total distance of 103.3 kilometers with 19 stations and connect the New Administrative Capital under construction east of Cairo with surrounding cities and districts.
The Sunday inauguration concerned the first phase of the project, which covers a distance of about 70 kilometers with 12 stations and consists of 22 trains that will serve 360 000 passengers on a daily basis, Chinese official media have reported.
Egypt’s plan to upgrade the transportation system
The electrified LRT is one of the major projects underway in Egypt aimed at boosting the country’s transportation system.
Over the past eight years, the Northern African country has undertaken several major projects for transport infrastructure development, Egypt’s Ahram Online has reported. An example is the National Road Project, launched in 2014, under which 5500 kilometers of new roads have been built.
Egypt Today and Egypt Independent also reported the ongoing implementation of an express electric train network set to span over 1825 kilometers, a US$ 3 billion monorail project, and a fourth metro line in Al Haram Street.
Receiving support from China
Talking about the new LRT, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang emphasized the significant role China plays in supporting Egypt’s transportation system upgrade. “The project was financed by China, adopted Chinese technology and equipment, and was jointly implemented by Chinese and Egyptian enterprises,” Xinhua News Agency quoted Ambassador Liao.
China’s contribution is also visible at the level of human capital development given that such projects help build the capacity of young Egyptians who support their construction and maintenance, through training and experience gain.

China’s collaboration with Africa may help to eradicate world hunger

China’s collaboration with Africa may help to eradicate world hunger

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the UN World Food Program (WFP), and the Famine Early Warning System Network said in a statement recently, that millions of people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia face starvation due to severe drought.

More than seven million livestock have also died putting lives of millions of people in danger. The drought in the Horn of Africa is a recurrent problem year in year out. It’s not new. How can the countries affected reverse the trend and become more food secure?

Guoqi Wu, the associate vice-president of the Corporate Services Department at International Fund for Agriculture Development( IFAD), said  in a recent  interview with Xinhua News Agency that, “Sino-Africa cooperation in the agriculture sector could inject vitality into the continent’s quest to attain food security and tackle rural poverty.”

 Wu said that China has for decades played a major role to help revolutionize Africa’s farming systems and feeding a rapidly growing population. “China, which became a member of IFAD in the 1980s, has provided the resources and expertise required to transform food production systems in a continent grappling with climate-induced food and nutrition insecurity, Wu added.”

It should be known that China is the biggest donor of IFAD among developing countries, and has partnered with UN agencies to promote South-South Cooperation that has been beneficial to Africa’s agriculture improvement. 

In 2018, China contributed 10 million U.S. dollars to facilitate the setting up of a facility whose mission is to support knowledge sharing, transfer of technology, and good practices that can transform agriculture in developing countries including Africa, Wu said. It should also be noted that China has opened up agricultural demonstration centres in many countries in Africa to train farmers and agricultural experts on how to increase crop yields.

Wu said that African nations can borrow lessons from China, which has managed to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, thanks to the adoption of forward-looking policies and new technologies. China eradicated absolute poverty in 2020, achieving the first UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 years ahead of schedule.

“I think the very first takeaway or best practices that China can share with African countries is the confidence that a world free of poverty and hunger is not a utopia, it is something which is attainable,” Wu stressed.

In a recent meeting of ministers for agricultural and rural affairs of the BRICS countries held virtually, China also called on BRICS countries to cooperate in order to stabilize food security.  The member countries also agreed to establish an annual mechanism, the BRICS Agriculture and Rural Development Forum, to address issues close to their hearts and of global concern.

This is a good example to show that China is taking the lead to end hunger globally by providing both financial support to IFAD and also sharing best practices with other countries especially in the global South.

​Author: Hanane Thamik is currently a Ph.D. scholar at the School of Information Management, Wuhan University, simultaneously a member of the Morocco-China Friendship Exchange Association, the author of CGTN Africa, Africa-China Review and the Canadian magazine ( Etats de splendeur ). She was chosen as Morocco’s youth representative for the Belt and Road initiative by the Moroccan embassy in China, the Arab youth participant in the 9th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum 2020, the Ambassador of Wuhan City to the world by Changjiang Weekly Magazine, and the Moroccan Youth Representative 2020 (FOCAC, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs). She also won the awards of the Belt and Road Tourism ambassador 2019, the Outstanding African Student in China 2018, the Cultural Achievement Award by UNESCO, the Wuhan University Outstanding International Students award 2019 and 2021, the Maotai scholarship “Excellent academic performance and outstanding overall performance 2019 and 2021,” the outstanding individual among international students fighting novel coronavirus pneumonia 2020, the only Moroccan winner of the essay contest named “experience China -our anti-epidemic story” 2020 (China Scholarship Council), the Chinese Government Outstanding International Student in China 2020 ( China Scholarship Council ),  the winner of the 5th “My Beautiful Encounter with China” essay contest for international students in China, and recently the first prize of the competition of the 37th Chu Cai Composition Competition. She was one of the successful 54 young people worldwide who has been selected to participate in a training program organized by the United Nations in Switzerland 2019. She has also more than 20 publications among them the United Nations Geneva 2019 report and Peking University 5000-mile reports 2020 and 2021 which were handed to high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Beijing.