Chinese UN envoy calls for more int'l input in Africa

The international community should increase input in Africa and boost all-round economic and social development on the continent, said a Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Monday.

Speaking at the opening of the high-level event of Africa Week at UN Headquarters, Wu Haitao, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese mission to the United Nations, called for efforts to boost Africa's capacity for self-development.

The international community should promote Africa's agricultural modernization, industrialization and infrastructure construction in energy and transportation to foster Africa's capacity for self-development, he said. He called for respect for ownership of African countries in helping them formulate national development strategies.

Wu asked for efforts to improve the external environment for Africa's development. The international community should work to promote peace and security in Africa and elsewhere. "We need to be guided by the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and benefit-sharing to increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global economic governance. We need to ensure the full participation of developing countries, including African countries, in the global economy and share the development dividend."

He asked the international community to strengthen partnership for development with Africa, increase direct investment and scale up support and assistance.

Developed countries should honor their commitments to development assistance to Africa and help Africa with capital, technology and capacity-building. Developing countries need to strengthen South-South cooperation, said Wu.

He asked to support African countries in addressing African issues in African ways. The international community should respect the sovereignty of African countries and help Africa achieve comprehensive peace, he said.

The international community should provide "adequate, stable and sustainable funding" for peacekeeping operations led by the African Union, help enhance peace-keeping capacity of African countries and facilitate the building of African collective security mechanisms, he said.

China and Africa are good friends, good partners and good brothers, said Wu. China works to enhance cooperation with Africa in industrialization, agricultural modernization, infrastructure, environmental protection, peace and security.

China is actively participating in peacekeeping operations in Africa and in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia, he noted.

Implemenation of a blueprint drawn up at the 2015 Johannesburg summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is under way with much progress, he said. "A large number of cooperation projects in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, poverty reduction, public health, trade facilitation and green development are either completed or being implemented."

Africa is an important link and cooperation partner in China's Belt and Road Initiative, said Wu. "China will align its development strategy with that of Africa's and promote policy coordination, connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bond with Africa."

China is ready to work with Africa to strive for new achievements in cooperation and further contribute to the global course of peace and development, said the Chinese envoy.