Interview: China's modernization provides roadmap for Africa: think-tank chief

 

Sydney Mwamba, executive director at the Policy Monitoring and Research Center, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Lusaka, Zambia on Sept. 5, 2024. Mwamba said in an interview that China's success in poverty alleviation, infrastructure development and technological advancement provides a model for African countries to achieve sustainable development.[Xinhua]

China's modernization provides a valuable roadmap for African countries, a Zambian think-tank chief recently said.

Sydney Mwamba, the executive director at the Policy Monitoring and Research Center, said in an interview that China's success in poverty alleviation, infrastructure development and technological advancement provides a model for African countries to achieve sustainable development.

He believes Africa can draw lessons from China's journey, which has transformed the country from an agrarian society into a global economic powerhouse.

Mwamba said the Chinese government has "worked to uplift everyone out of poverty and is striving so hard to reduce inequality." He highlighted the importance of China's development path, which balances economic growth with social progress.

He further stressed the need for infrastructure modernization in Africa, particularly in railways and roads, to facilitate the free movement of goods, services and people.

Mwamba praised China's focus on green development, noting its relevance for Africa, which is grappling with the effects of climate change and energy shortages. He said China's experience in renewable energy, such as solar and wind, could help Africa overcome its energy challenges.

Noting that many African countries lag in technology and innovation, resulting in low productivity, he believes China's advancements in agriculture could help modernize Africa's sector and boost productivity.

Mwamba supported China's call for increased value addition to Africa's raw materials. He noted that Africa has long been an exporter of raw materials and advocated for a shift toward value-added production to drive economic development.

He expressed gratification with China-supported economic zones in African countries like Zambia, where manufacturing is emerging. Mwamba said establishing such zones have been successful in China, and are promising for Africa's industrialization.

Mwamba was encouraged by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)'s focus on practical, result-oriented partnerships, underscoring China's commitment to Africa's sustainable development.

He commended the China-proposed 10 partnership actions to jointly advance modernization with Africa, particularly the partnership action for connectivity, which aligns with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

"This is not just a rhetoric," Mwamba added. "It's about measurable outcomes in the various sectors such as agriculture, health, trade, infrastructure, technology and many more areas which China intends to continue cooperating with African countries."