|Statement by Ambassador Wang Min at the 66th Session of the GA under Item 63 (a): New Partnership for Africa's Development: Progress in Implementation and International Support; (b): Causes of Conflict and the Promotion of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa; and Item 13: 2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa|
As the blueprint for development designed by African countries themselves and the program for economic and social development established by the African Union, NEPAD embodies the strong desire of African countries to make joint efforts for common development. With the support of the international community, NEPAD has in recent years gained more substance, improved its mechanisms and made plans for priority areas like agriculture and infrastructure, playing a positive role in promoting the development and revitalization of Africa. However, owing to factors like the volatility of the international financial market, political instability in some areas, frequent natural disasters, rising food prices and energy shortage, Africa still lags behind other regions of the world in achieving the MDGs. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of NEPAD, the international community should use this opportunity to take stocks and sum up experience; and on this basis, increase support to Africa to help it make greater strides in implementation so as to promote the stability and prosperity of the continent.
First, assistance commitments should be effectively honored. Although the total volume of ODA has shown some increase in recent years, it still falls far short of the committed goals and the actual needs of Africa. The 2010 High-Level Meeting on MDGs called on the international community to implement its assistance commitment to Africa; and the Fourth Conference on LDGs adopted the Istanbul Programme of Action, giving new impetus to efforts for the accelerated attainment of MDGs in Africa. The international community, especially the developed countries, should effectively honor the commitments made, increase assistance and support to Africa, work to help Africa build capacity for self-development, and make active efforts to create for Africa favorable international economic, trade and financial conditions.
Secondly, the ownership of the African countries should be respected. In providing help to African countries, the international community should have faith in the wisdom of the government and people of African countries; respect the ownership and leadership of the recipient countries; respect the development path chosen by African countries themselves based on their national conditions; support them in addressing African affairs by themselves; help Africa maintain and consolidate peace and stability; and provide safeguard for its development.
Thirdly, active efforts are needed to tackle the challenge of climate change. Confronted with multiple challenges posed by climate change such as frequent flood and drought, desertification, poor harvest and degradation of ecological environment, the African countries urgently need to enhance their capacity for adaptation. The international community should understand and support the legitimate concerns and claims of the African countries, help them cope with climate change as an integral part of the effort to enhance their capacity for sustainable development, and promote the full and balanced development of Africa in a comprehensive and integrated way.
Fourthly, South-South cooperation should be strengthened. Recent years have witnessed vibrant trade and investment activities among countries of the South and the establishment of new mechanisms and initiatives among the developing countries. This has injected new vitality in South-South cooperation and vigorously promoted the economic and social development of Africa. This kind of cooperation should be further strengthened so as to play a greater role. At the same time, I wish to emphasize that South-South cooperation is a form of mutually beneficial cooperation among the developing countries. It is different from North-South cooperation and can only be a supplement instead of a substitute for the latter
Fifthly, efforts should be made to achieve durable peace. Africa has made good progress recently in conflict prevention, management and settlement and in post-conflict reconstruction. The UN system, member states, and regional and sub-regional organizations should work in coordination and cooperation, focus on the elimination of the cause of conflict in Africa, and strengthen efforts in conflict prevention and peace consolidation. The UN should strengthen cooperation with the AU in peace, security, political and humanitarian areas and support the AU and other regional organizations in enhancing their peace-keeping capability. The PBC should reinforce partnership with the countries concerned, respect national ownership, and address in an integrated way their special needs in terms of reconstruction and social integration, thus laying a solid foundation for durable peace and sustainable development.
For China, the largest developing country in the world, development remains an arduous long-term task. It is in this context that China provides assistance to Africa within the framework of South-South cooperation as part of mutual help between developing countries. China’s assistance to Africa dated back to 1956. The China-Africa Cooperation Forum established in 2000 is an important contemporary platform for dialogue between China and African countries and an effective mechanism for pragmatic cooperation. Up till the end of 2009, there are 51 African countries that receive assistance from China on a regular basis. In providing assistance to Africa, we have adhered to equality and mutual benefit, stressing practical results and keeping pace with the times without attaching any political conditions, with a view to helping African countries build up capacity for self-development. We have thus created a unique mode of South-South cooperation. China has all along attached importance to and supported NEPAD, and the priority areas of China-Africa cooperation are largely in conformity with the NEPAD priority areas of agriculture, infrastructure construction and human resources development. China-Africa cooperation has made and will continue to make positive contributions to the implementation of NEPAD.
As an active response to the call to “roll back malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa”, China carried out effective cooperation with African countries in combating malaria. Over the past three years, China has built 30 malaria prevention and treatment centers in African countries and provided artemisinin anti-malaria medicines worth RMB190 million (about US$30 million), contributing in no small measure to the implementation of the Global Malaria Action Plan.
There is a saying in Chinese that as distance tests a horse’s strength, so time reveals a person’s heart. Going forward, whatever the future vicissitudes in the world situation may be, the friendship of the Chinese people for the African people will remain the same and our determination to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Africa and achieve common development will remain the same. China will as always support the implementation of NEPAD to help Africa release its tremendous potential and enable the African people to really benefit from the global economic and social development.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.