ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has boosted infrastructure connectivity and integration across Africa, a senior African Union (AU) official has said.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Initiative. "In those ten years, when we look at the landscape of Africa, we find very concrete evidence of the BRI," said Albert Muchanga, AU commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals.
"You have got transportation networks, communication networks, logistics centers, industrial parks, among several others," he said, listing a few examples of China-Africa BRI cooperation in a recent interview with Xinhua.
He said joint infrastructure development between China and Africa under the BRI "made it very easy to connect African countries. You can move across (Africa), goods and services can also be conveyed and freighted across, and, above all, employment has been generated."
The AU commissioner underscored the BRI's role as a driver of employment for Africa's burgeoning youth population. "When we generate employment, you boost consumption in the domestic economy, and that has a win-win outcome."
"We have really been able to get a lot of benefit as Africa from the Belt and Road Initiative. We are very, very happy," Muchanga said.
Muchanga said Africa greatly values its cooperation with China under the Initiative.
"We intend to proceed with what we have achieved. The next stage is to boost the productivity of African economies, and that requires investment in industrialization. The greatest source of our productivity is in manufacturing, so we foresee a lot of manufacturing enterprises," he said.
The AU commissioner emphasized the need to strengthen China-Africa cooperation in the energy sector to realize Africa's aspirations to transition to cleaner energy.
"We are going into a green transition, and we need technology, and Africa has the resources to participate in the energy transition into de-carbonization," Muchanga said. ■
Donald Trump moves much of his White House campaign to New York
The pilots union at American Airlines says it's seeing more safety and maintenance issues
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones hopes to be ready for the start of training camp
2 killed in vessel collision in waters off east China
Stars quickly go from tight series over reigning Cup champ to big
Judge awards $23.5 million to undercover St. Louis officer beaten by colleagues during protest
Roma's Ndicka discharged from hospital a day after collapsing during game
Police declare Sydney church stabbing a terror attack 'motivated by religious extremism'
Rep. Greene and Speaker Johnson meet for a second day as possible vote on his ouster simmers
NASA seeks faster, cheaper way to bring Mars samples to Earth
Georgia governor signs new election changes into law
Junta shelling, airstrikes kill 25 Rohingyas in Myanmar’s Rakhine state — Radio Free Asia