It gives me great pleasure to attend the Topping Out Ceremony of the China-Aided Project of the ACDC Headquarters Building. I would like to extend warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the guests and friends present today and my highest respect and sincere greetings to all the builders who have been working on the construction site.
Last December, right here, we held a grand groundbreaking ceremony. Commissioner Amira and I laid the foundation stone for this ACDC project. Ever since the start, Chinese and African Union teams have been coordinating closely to meet challenges and resolve difficulties. It took our teams less than two months to enter into the fast lane of basic construction and nine months to achieve the phase target of topping-out of the main structure with high standards. The smooth progress of the project perfectly illustrates the friendly and cooperative spirit of brotherhood between China and Africa and will make great contributions to strengthening pandemic prevention and control in Africa. This spirit is inspiring to all. Once again, I would like to express my appreciation to the cooperation efforts of the AU project team and the hardworking of employees of Chinese enterprises.
China and Africa are close friends, reliable partners and good brothers. As we speak, the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc across the globe. However, it cannot prevent China-Africa cooperation from growing in depth and substance. China and Africa stand together with mutual assistance, team up amid difficulties and treat each other wholeheartedly. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the Chinese government has donated a large number of pandemic prevention supplies, including protective equipment, ventilators and vaccines to African countries, which tells a vivid story in sharing weal and woe and addressing hardships together with African brothers.
When attending the General Debate of the 76th Session of The United Nations General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed the Global Development Initiative, calling on the international community to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, so as to build a global community of development with a shared future. In addition, China and Africa jointly launched the Initiative on Partnership for Africa’s Development this year, emphasizing that all countries should carry out cooperation with Africa on the premise of respecting Africa's sovereignty and listening to Africa's voice, give full play to their respective advantages and pool efforts in an effective way, and do more beneficial and practical work for the well-being of the African people. The ACDC building itself is a manifestation of beneficial and practical work for the African people. China will proceed to try our utmost to assist African countries in responding to the pandemic and restoring economic and social development.
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is a platform for collective dialogue and mechanism for practical cooperation for the China-Africa big family. On the 29th of this month, the eighth ministerial meeting of FOCAC will be held in Senegal. Since its establishment 21 years ago, the forum has yielded substantial results. A large number of key assistance and investment cooperation projects such as the AU Conference Center, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway have been implemented. China has maintained its position as Africa's largest trade partner for 12 years straight. As China’s direct investment in Africa has reached $43.4 billion, Africa has become an emerging investment destination for Chinese enterprises. Since the Beijing Summit in 2018, China’s new direct investment in Africa has exceeded $10 billion. These investments have created lots of jobs, accelerated the process of Africa's industrialization and advanced economic development, thus promoting the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future.
With the theme “Deepen China-Africa Partnership and Promote Sustainable Development to Build a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the New Era”, the eighth ministerial meeting of FOCAC will evaluate the implementation of the achievements since the Beijing Summit and China-Africa solidarity in the fighting against the pandemic, chart the course for the future of China-Africa relations for three years and beyond, and deepen pragmatic cooperation across the board. The 55 members of the Forum will overcome difficulties and gather together to consult with each other on China-Africa friendly cooperation to map out a new blueprint for China-Africa cooperation in the new era. These endeavors will inject new impetus into the development of China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership and make more contributions to safeguarding the overall interests of developing countries, promoting world peace, stability, development and prosperity in the post-pandemic era.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held at this important juncture and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century. The Resolution deeply reveals why we were able to succeed in the past and how to carry forward our success in the future. It seeks truth from facts and respects history, reflecting the Party's original aspiration and founding mission of struggle over the past century. It is a political manifesto for the Chinese communists to stay true to their original aspiration and founding mission and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It is a guideline to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as we put conscious effort into learning from history to create a bright future. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's diplomatic thoughts, China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development and win-win cooperation, actively develop global partnerships, enhance friendship, solidarity and cooperation with African and developing countries guided by the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests and the principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith.
The African Union Commission was elected a new leadership this year. Its institutional reforms are proceeding smoothly. Thus, the African Union will take the lead with stronger capabilities in the process of African integration and the implementation of the 2063 Agenda . It can be said that both of us have entered a new starting point for development. The Chinese side stands ready to continue to work with the African Union to consolidate consensus and advance cooperation to forge an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future.
As long as both of us join hands to move ahead, it is a sure way that this ACDC project is to be implemented successfully to fully demonstrate China-Africa’s collective creativity, cohesiveness and action power. We will endeavor to construct it into a new hallmark for China-Africa joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative with high-quality, a brand new name card of China-Africa health community with a shared future and a milestone of China-Africa friendship.
Let us wish the China-Africa friendship be everlasting.
Thank you.
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