By Alpha Mohamed Jalloh: Director China Africa Institute, University of Makeni
Top of Form (The Africa-China Dar es Salaam Consensus)
The globe is facing difficulties right now, but there is still hope for peace and progress. Currently, more wisdom must be woven and a wider consensus must be reached in the field of information and ideas because human society depends more on one another to exchange good and bad things. China and Africa both have the historical mandate of development and rejuvenation to benefit their people as significant members of the Global South. Together, they ought to actively engage in international governance structures, encourage modernizing nations, and create a global society with a common destiny for all people. In order to improve knowledge-sharing, ideological consensus, and cultural co-prosperity, we have reached a consensus during the 13th Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum and have called on the international community to deepen development cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, solidarity, win-win cooperation, openness, and common prosperity.
We demand that development be prioritized and that autonomous, human-centered pathways of respect and mutual learning be investigated. In addition to implementing the Global Development Initiative, we promote the shared ideals of justice, fairness, democracy, peace, and freedom for all people. We commit to assisting nations in investigating modernization models that take into account their unique cultural traits and development requirements, promoting communication over confrontation, and sharing governance best practices. In an effort to safeguard everyone’s right to pursue a better life, we will make sure that our growth is for the people, by the people, and that the benefits of development are shared among all people.
To enable shared progress, we demand that the establishment of a multipolar, equitable, and well-ordered world be encouraged. In the international system, we support expanding democracy, giving developing nations more voice and representation, and promptly redressing historical injustices that Africa has endured. We uphold and protect the territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and development rights of every nation. Additionally, under the framework of the Global Development Initiative, we will optimize the distribution of resources worldwide and address the disparity in development between and within nations so that any nation, large or little, powerful or weak, rich or poor, can take advantage of equal development chances.
We demand the advancement of an inclusive and broadly beneficial economic globalization so that everyone can benefit from development. Our goals include removing trade and economic obstacles, fortifying global economic governance, and creating a global supply chain that is more robust, inclusive, seamless, and effective. We think that both African nations and non-African nations can benefit from their comparative advantages, continue to advance industrialization and modernize their agriculture, engage more effectively in the global division of labor, and positively impact global economic circulation, global economic growth, and the welfare of all peoples.
To close the development gap, we demand that the international financial system be actively reformed. We consent to providing international development banks, such the World Bank (WB), with more capital in order to strengthen their financial standing and expand their capacity to provide loans. Additionally, we decide to respect each other’s policies, ideas, and actual demands while increasing our financial tools for development and poverty reduction. We will expand emerging markets’ and developing nations’ voting and shareholding rights in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), create a third executive director seat for African nations, and give the least developed nations.
We demand that national policies and international activities be coordinated in order to reinforce premium sustainable development bonds. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other frameworks, we are dedicated to enhancing infrastructure connectivity and the free flow of production factors in accordance with national plans in each country. In addition, we support the advancement of high-tech sectors like aerospace, IT, clean energy, and others. In tackling climate change and advancing green development, we abide by the idea of “common but differentiated responsibilities” (CBDR)
We demand that proactive governments and efficient markets be used to stimulate domestic development. In order to promote market vitality, we support the development of effective, impartial, and law-based governance; we also work to improve macroeconomic regulation and public services; and we support the industrialization and modernization of African agriculture. The legitimate rights and interests of enterprises should be protected, economic policy coordination and standardization of regulatory standards should be improved, trade and investment should be further liberalized and facilitated, and new financing models like public-private partnerships, investment-construction-operation integration, and loan investment coordination to increase liquidity and efficiency of fund utilization.
We advocate for the creation of a secure development environment by taking into account both conventional and non-traditional security concerns. We make a plea to respect the justifiable security concerns of all nations, settle disputes by negotiation and consultation, and work to prevent pan-securitization “traps” that impede growth as well as wars, conflicts, terrorism, and diseases. We think that the Global Security Initiative’s implementation would help bring about peace and security on a global scale. We collectively implore the world to use all peaceful avenues to avert war and pay attention to the people affected by conflicts.
We will also explore the establishment of a fair and objective international credit rating agency within the frame works of forum on China Africa –Cooperation (FOCAC), BRICS and other cooperatives.
We urge the establishment of more useful and efficient policies to encourage the exchange of knowledge. We work together to further the Global Civilization Initiative’s implementation and strengthen mutual learning and exchanges between China and Africa. In order to do this, we support and encourage the development of a close-knit network of think tank alliances as well as the augmentation of communication and collaboration between think tanks and the media. Our goals are to advance the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism’s excellent development, boost scientific and technological, health, cultural, and artistic exchanges, and carry out the Plan for China and Africa cooperation on talent development to enhance qualified personnel that would stand the test of time.
