China-Africa Youth Forum Focuses on Innovation, Entrepreneurship

China-Africa

China-Africa Youth Forum Focuses on Innovation, Entrepreneurship

The All-China Youth Federation is set to work with youth organisations in Africa to build China-Africa youth innovation and entrepreneurship projects under the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative of the Chinese government, establish partnership, and give top priority to youth development.

Xu Xiao, vice president of All-China Youth Federation, who disclosed this at the 2023 China-Africa Youth Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, said the partnership would pave the way for Chinese and African youth to invigorate global development and progress.

During the Forum held at the Changsha International Conference Center in Hunan China, Xiao pointed out that innovation and entrepreneurship are key areas of China-Africa cooperation, whose promising future is inseparable from the innovation and creativity of young people.

The forum is one of a series of events of the Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and was attended by about 200 guest and youth representatives from China and Africa.

Amakobe Sande, representative of UNICEF China, speaking, noted that youth are the main drivers of entrepreneurship and innovation, and promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship has never been more important.

She hoped that China and Africa can hold more dialogues to unleash the potential of young people in China and Africa and serve as an important engine of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Zhou Haibing, vice governor of Hunan Provincial People’s Government and Acting Mayor of Municipal People’s Government, stated that Hunan is building a youth-friendly cities to make youths more productive and allow more intelligent resources and innovative elements to gather in Hunan.

According to Haibing, people from all walks of life, including young people from China and Africa, are welcomed to invest and start business in Hunan, assuring that Hunan will provide the most favorable policies, the best services and environment, so that more young people from China and Africa who aspire to innovate and start business can build their dreams in Hunan, and contribute to the in-depth China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Also speaking, Rahamantalla Osman, permanent representative of the African Union Office China, noted that China has committed to continuing China-Africa youth exchange programs, promoting youth employment and capacity building, and sharing its experience in poverty alleviation in both the Beijing Action Plan and the Dakar Action Plan of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

He also noted that China, as a long-standing partner of the African Union and its member states, plays a key role in empowering African youth development.

On his part, Nizar Ben Néji, minister of Communication Technology of Tunisia stated in his speech that China’s entrepreneurial dynamism and advanced technology have won worldwide recognition. He said Tunisia can draw useful experience from China and looks forward to building a strong and stable partnership with China, which will be conducive to achieving a common vision of mutual benefit and win-win results.

The “Youth Stories in China-Africa Innovation and Entrepreneurship” was released in the forum. The Hunan Youth Federation and the China-Africa Youth Federation signed a cooperation agreement, and representatives of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area and the Communist Youth League of Hunan Provincial Committee inaugurated the Xiangjiang New Area China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base.

The forum, sponsored by All-China Youth Federation is organized by Changsha Municipal People’s Government, Administrative Committee of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area and Hunan Youth Federation, and co-organized by Commerce Bureau of Changsha City, Commerce and Market Supervision Bureau of Administrative Committee of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area, and Changsha Youth Federation.