Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi gives a speech at the High-level Dialogue and the Second Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Nov. 4, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)  Photo Gallery >>>

Business communities could evolve into a crucial force to facilitate cooperation between China and African countries, Ethiopian Prime Minister Ato Meles Zenawi told Saturday afternoon the High-level Dialogue and the 2nd Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs in Beijing.

Without solid support of civil collaboration, Sino-African cooperation may not flourish, he said.

He said the entrepreneurs conference established in 2003 was an important step in the right direction under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Meles said the Sino-African strategic partnership would face a variety of challenges, the inevitable challenges from normal tradeand the artificial ones with malicious intentions.

He said it was the duties of leaders from China and African countries to optimize business environment and facilitate exchanges of business communities from both sides.

Meles said Africa has benefited a lot from China's rapid economic growth but there is still huge potential untapped by African entrepreneurs.

The investment and business opportunities of Africa could never be emphasized enough. Africa's value is more than natural resources, he said.

Meles said Africa and China can take advantages of each other's competence to materialize mutual benefits and reciprocity.

The prime minister of Ethiopia that co-chairs the forum said the solid political relations between China and Africa create prime opportunities for the business communities to seize.

A total of 27 presidents and 6 prime ministers from Africa attended the opening ceremony of the conference.

FOCAC is a mechanism for collective dialogue and cooperation jointly established by China and Africa to cope with new challenges and facilitate common development.