China Unveils $60 Billion Development Aid for Africa

President Xi Jinping said the package would include zero-interest loans as well as scholarships and training for thousands of Africans.

Speaking at a roundtable organized by conservation lobby Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) at Kruger National Park in South Africa, the campaigners from China and Africa said Beijing’s contribution was critical to strengthen protection of Africa’s wildlife species.

At the start of the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta and close to 40 other African leaders, President Xi outlined a 10-point plan to boost China-Africa cooperation.

“Here is a man representing a country once called poor, a country which was never our colonizer”.

Recently China has come under a lot of criticism for bringing their own workers on the continent to work for Chinese state-owned firms instead of hiring Africans.

“Let’s join hands… and open a new era of China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development”.

Prominent celebrities who graced the roundtable at Kruger National park are members of China-Africa wildlife conservation council that has injected fresh impetus in the campaigns to promote the protection of iconic wildlife species in the African continent.

Matjila said what South Africa appreciated most was that the US60 billion would go to such a wide range of development sectors, but also that it would be focused on human capital development – “because that’s the insurance of the future” – and to the productive sector of the economy, including manufacturing, beneficiation, and industrialisation.

Cde Chinamasa said this followed a State visit by the President Mugabe to China in August a year ago where the first series of mega deals were signed between the two nations. Therefore, he continued, “it was only natural that Africa has developed a win-win partnership for development and progress with China over the years”.

The Chairperson of African Commission, Dr Nkozasana Zuma, also commended China for its assistance to the continent.

“China stands ready to take an active part in Africa’s effort in capacity building for maintaining and strengthening peace and support Africa and its endeavours to speed up development, eradicate poverty and realise durable peace”, said Jinping.

“There’s not a lot of transparency in how it’s broken down”, she said.

“These plans (are) aimed at addressing three issues holding back Africa’s development, namely inadequate infrastructure, lack of professional and skilled personnel, and funding shortages”, he continued. “It needs political, social and economic solutions to ensure sustainability”.

He said there was hope for Africa as some countries in the continent remained the fastest growing in the world.