The 3rd Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations was successfully held by China-Africa Institute (CAI) on April 9, 2024 in Beijing, under the theme “Inheritance, Sharing, Development: Toward a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future”.

Gao Xiang, president of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Chinese Academy of History (CAH); Sweta Chaman Saxena, Chief of Staff of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa；Liu Yuxi, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, and Rahamtalla M. Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China delivered the opening remarks. Wang Changlin, Vice President of CASS presided over the opening ceremony. The conference has drawn more than 100 participants including Chinese and African scholars, diplomats, members of the media and African students in China.

At the opening ceremony, Li Xinfeng, executive president of the CAI gave a presentation on the Five-Year achievements of CAI, and announced that the CAI has launched its new official website to mark the 5th anniversary of its establishment.

Participants at the conference

The keynote speeches session was moderated by Zhang Yuyan, member of CASS and Director-General of Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS, and delivered by Li Xiangyang, Director and Research Fellow of National Institute of International Strategy, CASS; Paul Tembe, Founder and Director of SELE Encounters; Wu Guobao, Research Fellow of Rural Development Institute, CASS, and Hassan Ragab, Executive Director of Confucius Institute of Suez Canal University in Egypt.

The conference consists of two panel sessions with 12 Chinese and African scholars delivering speeches.

Panel session one “Deepening Mutual Understanding Between Chinese and African Civilizations Based on Fine Traditional Culture” was moderated by Smail Debeche, President of Algeria-China Friendship Association. The first session was addressed by 6 speakers: Aisha Sani Maikudi, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics and professor of the University of Abuja, Nigeria; Wen Xian, Special Researcher of CAI and Senior Journalist of People’s Daily; Allawi Ssemanda, Executive Director and Senior Research Fellow of Development Watch Centre, Uganda, and Li Hongfeng, Dean and Professor of the School of African Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University; Moumouni Guillaume, Assistant Professor and head of the Department of Cooperation, Public Relations and Protocol, Faculty of Law and Political Science, the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin, and Guo Jia, Deputy Director and Assistant Research Fellow at the Division of Ethnicity and Religion Studies of CAI.

Yuan Zhengqing, Research Fellow of Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS; and Bi Foua Claude Alain Gohi, Associate Professor of Panzhihua University made comments at the first session.

Participants at the conference

Panel Session two “Joining Hands to Promote BRI Cooperation by Sharing Development Experience Between China and Africa” was moderated by Kizito Nnanda, Senior Research Fellow of Development Watch Centre, Uganda. The second session was addressed by 6 speakers: Zhang Zhenke, Director and Professor of the Center of African Studies, Nanjing University; Yusufu Ali Zoaka, Professor of Policy Analysis and Development Studies at the University of Abuja in Nigeria; Wang Yongzhong, Director and Research Fellow of International Commodities Division of the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP), CASS; Léon-Marie Nkolo Ndjodo, Associate Professor of University of Maroua in Cameroon; Zhang Chunyu, Associate Research Fellow of CAI; Ibrahim Barrie, Director for Open, Distance and E-learing, University of Makeni and member of Parliament for Bombali District in Sierra Leone.

The second session was commented by Héribert-Label élisée Adjovi, Governor of Pan-African Magazine “Le Label Diplomatique” and Wang Qilong, Changjiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education in China and Vice President and Professor of Xi’an International Studies University.

Wang Qilong presided over the closing ceremony. Kizito Nnanda and Wang Lincong, Vice President and Research Fellow of CAI made closing remarks.

(Photo by Dong Jiacheng)