Freight trains are seen at Nairobi station of Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
Photo taken
on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines of the De Aar wind power project invested
by China's Longyuan Power and its South African partners in De Aar, South
Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)
Muchanga
recalled the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the AU
and China's National Development and Reform Commission within the framework of
the AU-China Cooperation Plan on the Belt and Road, covering priority sectors
such as health, food security, infrastructure and energy.
"A
number of countries across Africa are implementing the Belt and Road
Initiative; and the recently signed MOU reflects the fact that it is also going
to be implemented at the level of the African Union Commission, which is very,
very, very good," he said.
"The
cooperation is anchored on win-win outcomes and this is good for the two
partners -- the African continent on one hand and China as a country on the
other hand," the AU trade and industry commissioner added.
According to
Muchanga, the MOU that was signed virtually last month is a commitment to realize
the objectives of what was agreed upon between China and Africa towards the
successful implementation of the BRI.
"The
coordination mechanism is a platform for ensuring that whatever commitments
that have been made between Africa and China are going to be implemented; and
to show commitment towards its implementation," he said.
"Through
this signature we say 'we are ready, we are willing and we are going to do
it'," Muchanga added.
China has
been Africa's largest trading partner for more than a dozen years. Under the
Belt and Road Initiative, the two sides have multiplied their efforts to
cooperate. Over fifty African countries and the African Union Commission have
so far signed cooperation agreements with China.
