STOCKHOLM, December 8(Greenpost)–Top diplomats from the African Union joined the Chinese Ambassador to Sweden and the Belt and Road Institute’s (BRIX) members in a special seminar on December 5 in Stockholm to outline the great progress being achieved in realizing Africa’s development goals in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Moreover, the seminar’s more important aspect was to explore the massive potential imbedded in making Africa the greatest economic powerhouse on the planet in the coming decades and how Sweden, Europe and China can cooperate with the African nations to accelerate and benefit from this promising perspective.
The seminar was initiated by Stephen Brawer, Vice-President of BRIX and moderator of the event. He welcomed everyone and gave a brief history of how BRIX came into being, and about its two other very successful seminars in 2019. The BRIX, which is only one year old, emerged out of a high-level seminar on the strategic and economic impact of the BRI held in May 2018 and organized jointly by the Schiller Institute and the China-Sweden Business Council (CSBC). He emphasized that BRIX works to disseminate knowledge of BRI as a global development process, and to present facts and knowledge based on deeper reflections, and not on superficial opinion based on prejudice and geopolitical agendas. Thus, BRIX believes that in the future, disinformation and propaganda that are spread in Sweden against BRI should be addressed in a more clear and assertive way.
Egypt’s ambassador, Mr. Alaa Hegazy, gave the welcoming speech as representative of the African Union (AU), since Egypt is the current Chairman of the AU. He emphasized the importance of the Belt & Road Initiative for the implementation of Africa’s development plans that have been around for a long time and lacked only the construction starts. He presented the AU’s Agenda 2063 plan for a continental rail and road network, electrification and industrialization. Ambassador Hegazy explained that the AU has several cooperation mechanisms with the EU, UN, Japan, etc., but cooperation with the BRI has been the most dynamic and effective of these mechanisms.
The ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sweden, Mr. Gui Congyou gave, the keynote speech of the seminar in which he gave a detailed picture of the extensive cooperation that has been established between China and Africa in the context of the BRI. Ambassador Gui referenced the September 2018 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing and the results of that summit. He said: “China-Africa joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative has accelerated, and 40 African countries and the AU Commission have signed cooperation documents with China on the “Belt and Road” initiative. We have formulated a country plan based on the actual needs of Africa. We will implement a total of more than 880 China-Africa cooperation projects in the next three years.”
Concerning Chinese-Swedish perspectives, the Ambassador stated: ”The Swedish government has many aid and cooperation projects for Africa, and many large Swedish companies such as Volvo, Scania, and ABB have extensive operations in Africa. China is willing to work with other countries in the world, including Sweden, to complement each other’s strengths and make positive contributions to peace, stability and development in Africa.”
Ethiopia’s Ambassador, Mr. Deriba Kuma showed the audience how Africa’s plans for modernization and industrialization are being implemented. Ethiopia is well on its way to realizing its plans to become a middle-income country by 2025, transitioning from an agricultural-based society to an industry-based one. “Ethiopia is a major beneficiary in the Belt and Road Initiative. Since the country has embarked on expanding its infrastructure network across the nation like roads, railways, telecom and airports; the technical as well as financial support from the Government of China side has helped a lot”, Ambassador Deriba said. He added that “Ethiopia, through its vision of becoming a middle-income country by 2025, has launched an ambitious plan of constructing twelve industrial parks across the nation. Major Chinese companies have participated in the construction of these industrial parks and even some Chinese companies are constructing their own industrial parks in Ethiopia.” He emphasized that “Ethiopia has a plan to have 30 industrial parks by the year 2025. I hereby would like to call up on those competent companies to actively engage in this endeavor either through constructing the industrial parks or by leasing the sheds that could help them to participate in manufacturing of different products.”
Ambassador Kuma also reminded the audience that his country’s Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, will be receiving the Nobel Peace Price next week. This is an appropriate recognition of the path Ethiopia has taken towards social, political and economic reform.
South Africa’s Chargé d’Affaires, Duncan Sebefelo discussed his country’s economic visions and plans, and the challenges and opportunities that exist today. He referenced the major investments China has made in key projects in his country. After the turn of the year, South Africa become the chairman of the AU, outlining the philosophical principles that the AU has for the economic cooperation projects. Mr. Sebefelo explained how important the BRI is for the development goals of the African continent.
The board member of BRIX, Hussein Askary, made a thorough presentation on “retooling Africa’s rise”. With the help of charts, pictures and maps, he showed how BRI is helping in realizing Africa’s goals. He emphasized that BRIX does not exist to cheer on China or Africa, who can take care of themselves. BRIX’s goal is that Sweden should be part of this process of cooperation and not miss the train towards economic prosperity and stability in the world. In order to achieve that, Sweden’s and Europe’s attitude towards Africa has to change first. He contrasted this attitude to that of China. While Sweden and the Eu considered Africa “a problem”, China considers Africa “an opportunity”. Askary explained that a major part of this problem is the “aid” mentality. He argued that the Chinese way of “empowering rather than helping”, which is to supply Africa with the “tools” for development such as infrastructure, industrialization and technology transfer is the most suitable for Sweden and Europe to follow. Under the heading “SDG acrobatics” (Sustainable Development Goals), he talked about how Sweden and the EU are redefining the UN development agenda in 2030, so that the most important priority goals to be addressed (poverty, hunger, healthcare, electricity education, water, industrialization, etc.) are placed at the bottom of the priority list, while Climate Action, goal no. 13, is at the top. In conclusion, he explained that with the help of China and the BRI, Africa is well on the way to realizing its Agenda 2063. But he asked how faster can this agenda be realized if Sweden and the EU contribute to it?
The Norwegian former member of parliamentary, and co-founder of Ichi Foundation, Mr. Thore Vestby, talked about the Norwegian cooperation with Africa, which has been largely restricted to aid through NORAD. But a new focus on cooperation has been established in 2012 through the Norwegian African Business Association by leading Norwegian companies (norwegianafrican.no). Norway also needs to establish cooperation with BRI, Vestby emphasized, and a shift in the attitude in Norway towards China and the BRI is necessary. He congratulated the Swedish BRIX for its successful work and announced that a “BRIX Norway” will be started in the new year.
BRIX member and private consultant, Mr. Lars Aspling, explained in his presentation that now 16 of 28 EU countries have already signed agreements (MOU) with China to cooperate with the BRI. This shows that such an agreement, or even a mere positive opinion on BRI, as France and Finland have expressed, need not necessarily to divide the EU. Although the Swedish government, with its proposal for a new China strategy, adheres to EU policy, there are, thus, no legal issues that hinder Sweden from joining the BRI. But only a lack of political will stands in the way, he stated. Aspling gave a tour of the necessary investments that need to be made in northern Europe, Scandinavia and Sweden to be able to rise to the levels of productivity necessary in the new BRI era.
Aspling seized the opportunity to announce that a new report that BRIX has just published about what BRI on the importance of Sweden’s cooperation with the BRI can now be downloaded from the BRIX website. (Https://www.brixsweden.org/brix-publicerar-en-ny-belt-and-road-speciell-rapport/).
The seminar’s moderator, Stephen Brawer, led the closing panel debate where the speakers answered questions fielded by the audience.
BRIX chairman Ulf Sandmark commented on the question and discussion about corruption in Africa by pointing out that BRI has a focus on real investments that are not handed over as sums of money like the investments made by the West. The BRI investments are delivered as cement, steel, machinery and input products for the projects. “Cement is difficult to put into a bank account, which means that BRI has an intrinsic mechanism to prevent corruption,” he said.
In closing the seminar, moderator Stephen Brawer again emphasized the need to present fact-based information and knowledge about BRI, and made a point of thanking the effort that TV100 and Fredrik Vargas make through their important work in reporting the proceedings of this seminar.
Zimbabwen Ambassador Alice also attended the seminar.
19 diplomats from 15 countries (mostly from Africa) participated in the seminar which was attended by 60 guests.
STOCKHOLM, December 8( Greenpost )–Toppdiplomater som representerar den Afrikanska Unions medlemsländer i Sverige deltog tillsammans med Kinas ambassadör i ett välbesökt seminarium organiserad av Belt and Road Institutet i Sverige (BRIX) den 5 december i Stockholm med temat Det nya Afrika Växer” (The New Africa Emerging).
Seminariets deltagare presenterade och diskuterade den enorma förändringen och utvecklingen som pågår i flera delar av Afrika för att förvekliga Afrikas visioner och utvecklingsmål i sammanhanget av Belt and Road Initiativet / Nya Sidenvägen Initiativet (BRI).
Ännu viktigare var diskussionen om den obegränsade utvecklingspotentialen som kan växa ur ett aktivt samarbete mellan Sverige, Kina och Afrika för att accelerera och få nytta av detta lovande perspektiv.
Seminariet inleddes av Stephen Brawer, viceordförande för BRIX och moderator för seminariet. Han välkomnade alla och gav en kort historien om hur BRIX blev till, och om dess två andra väldigt lyckade seminarier i 2019. Han betonade att BRIX jobbar för att sprida kunskap av BRI som en global utvecklingsprocess, och presentera fakta och kunskap baserade på djupare reflektioner och inte på ytlig opinion byggd på fördomar och politiska syften. På så sätt anser BRIX att i fortsättning ska desinformation och propaganda som sprids i Sverige mot BRI bemötas tydligare och med mer kraft.
Egyptens Ambassadör Alaa Hegazi höll välkomsttalet som företrädare för Afrikanska Unionens (AU) ordförandeland. Han betonade hur viktigt Belt & Road Initiativet är för genomförande av Afrikas utvecklingsplaner som funnits länge och endast saknat byggstarterna. Han presenterade AU:s plan Agenda 2063 för ett kontinentalt järnvägs- och vägnät, elektrifiering och industrialisering. Ambassadör Hegazy förklarade att AU har flera samarbetsmekanismer med EU, FN, Japan osv, men samarbetet med BRI är den mest dynamiska och resultatgivande i Afrika idag.
Kinas ambassadör Gui Congyou höll huvudtalet på seminariet och berättade om det omfattande samarbetet som utvecklats mellan Kina och Afrika inom ramen för BRI. Han hänvisade till toppmötet i september 2018 för Kina-Afrika Samarbetsforum (FOCAC) i Peking och resultatet av toppmötet. ”Kina-Afrikas gemensamma byggande av BRI har påskyndats, och 40 afrikanska länder och AU-kommissionen har undertecknat samarbetsdokument med Kina om initiativet. Vi har formulerat planer för enskilda afrikanska länder baserad på Afrikas faktiska behov. Vi kommer att genomföra totalt mer än 880 Kina-Afrika samarbetsprojekt under de kommande tre åren.” Vad gäller det kinesisk-svenska perspektivet sade ambassadören Gui: ”Den svenska regeringen har många bistånd- och samarbetsprojekt för Afrika, och många stora svenska företag som Volvo, Scania och ABB har omfattande verksamhet i Afrika. Kina är villigt att arbeta med andra länder i världen, inklusive Sverige, för att komplettera varandras styrkor och ge positiva bidrag till fred, stabilitet och utveckling i Afrika. ”
Etiopien Ambassadör Deriba Kuma visade hur Afrikas planer för modernisering och industrialisering håller på att förverkligas. Etiopien är på god väg att förverkliga sina planer att till 2025 bli ett medelinkomstland som övergår från ett jordbruksbaserat samhälle till ett industribaserat, berättade ambassadör Kuma. Det var en föraning av vad som vi kommer att höra mer om när Etiopiens premiärminister nästa vecka skall ta emot Nobels Fredspris för sitt fredsarbete med alla länder på Afrikas Horn.
Sydafrikas beskickningschef Duncan Sebefelo talade om de betydande summor som Kina investerat i projekt i hans land. Efter årsskiftet blir Sydafrika ordförandeland för AU och han redogjorde för de filosofiska principer som AU har för de ekonomiska samarbetsprojekten.
Styrelsemedlemmen i BRIX Hussein Askary visade med bilder och kartor hur BRI bidragit till att börja förverkliga Afrikas projektplaner och berättade om den optimism som de skapat. Han betonade att BRIX finns inte för att heja på Kina eller Afrika. De kan sköta sitt. BRIX målsättning är Sverige ska vara med detta samarbete och inte missa tåget mot ekonomiskt välstånd och stabilitet i världen.
Askary berättade om den otroliga skillnaden mellan den europeiska och svenska attityden mot Afrika som är en återstod av den gamla koloniala mentaliteten och hur Kina betraktade Afrika som en mycket viktig partner. Problemet stort sett ligger i den misslyckade bistånds mentaliteten som dominerar EU:s agerande. Askary argumenterade att det kinesiska sättet att tillförse Afrika med ”verktygen” för utvecklingen som infrastruktur, industrialisering och teknologiöverföring är den mest lämpliga för Sverige och Europa att följa. Under rubriken ”SDG2030 akrobatik” (FN målen för hållbar utveckling) berättade han om hur Sverige och EU gör om FN:s utvecklingsagenda 2030, så att de viktigaste målen att ta itu med (fattigdom, hälsa, utbildning, vatten, energi, industrialisering osv.) placeras längst ned, medan klimatfrågan, som är nr 13, sätts högst upp. Avslutningsvis, förklarade han att med hjälp av Kina och BRI Afrika är på god väg att förverkliga sitt Agenda 2063, men frågade om hur snabbare denna agenda kan förverkligas om Sverige och EU bidrar till den?
Den norske tidigare stortingsledamoten Thore Vestby, och styrelsemedlem i Ichi Foundation, talade om det norska samarbetet med Afrika, som i hög grad varit inskränkt till bistånd genom NORAD. Men en ny inriktning på samarbetet har upprättats 2012 genom NABA-Norwegian African Business Association av ledande norska företag (norwegianafrican.no). Även Norge behöver upprätta samarbete med BRI, sa Vestby, kommer att startas. Han kongratulerade den Svenska BRIX för sitt framgångsrika arbete och tillkännagav att ett ”BRIX Norge” ska startas i det nya året.
BRIX-medlemmen och konsulten Lars Aspling berättade i sin presentation att det är nu 16 av 28 EU-länder som har ingått avtal (MOU) med Kina för att samarbeta med BRI. Det visar att ett sådant avtal, eller ett positivt yttrande om BRI, som Frankrike och Finland uttalat, inte nödvändigt behöver splittra EU. Även om svenska regeringen med sitt förslag till ny Kinastrategi håller sig till EU:s politik, så är det således inga legala frågor som hindrar Sverige utan enbart en brist på politisk vilja, fastslog han.
Zimbabwen Ambassador to Sweden Alice attended the seminar.
Aspling annonserade att den nya rapporten som BRIX just publicerat om vad BRI handlar om och vikten att Sverige samarbetar med BRI finns nu att ladda ner från BRIX hemsida.
Seminariets moderator Stephen Brawer ledde den avslutande paneldebatten där talarna fick svara på publikens många frågor och kommentarer.
BRIX ordförande Ulf Sandmark kommenterade diskussionen om korruption i Afrika med att påpeka att BRI har en inriktning på reala investeringar som inte överlämnas som penningsummor likt Västvärldens investeringar. BRI-investeringarna levereras som cement, stål, maskiner och insatsprodukter till projekten. ”Cement är svårt att sätta in på ett bankkonto, vilket gör att BRI har en inneboende mekanism för att hindra korruption”, sa han och uttryckte samtidigt sin glädje över att så många gamla och nya vänner deltagit i seminariet.
Moderator Stephen Brawer betonade igen behovet av att presentera faktabaserad information och kunskap om BRI, och gjorde en poäng av att tacka insatsen som TV100 och Fredrik Vargas gör genom deras viktiga arbete att förmedla i sitt reportage vad har presenterats i seminariet.
19 diplomater från 15 länder (flest från Afrika) deltog i en publik på sammanlagt 60 personer. Svenska media representerades av den fristående TV-kanalen TV100 som dokumenterade hela seminariet, inklusive paneldebatten där den kinesiska ambassadören gjorde sin kommentar till de svensk-kinesiska relationerna.
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 5(Greenpost)– Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou has said that the establishment of the Belt and Road Execultive Group has great significance.
He made the remark at the second Belt and Road Summit Forum in Stockholm on Sept. 28 when the Belt and Road Executive Group was announced to establish.
Ambassador Gui said the Swedish Boat Gothenburg opened a maritime silk road 260 years ago between China’s Guangzhou and Gothenburg in Sweden. In 2007, a replica of the Gothenburg boat sailed to China again and Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf also visited China then, beginning new cooperation between China and Sweden and calling for further sailing and cooperation along the belt and road route.
A week ago, belt and road initiative between Sweden and China made a milestone progress. That was the first China-Europe Freight Train started from Dalana in Sweden with full load of Swedish best timber to leave for East China’s Ganzhou city, Jiangxi province via Gothenburg and Hanberg Germany. Sweden exported timber to China and when the train comes back, it can load Chinese agricultural products to Europe and Sweden.
Gui said President Xi Jinping put up forward the belt and road initiative, with the purpose to expand the further cooperation along the silk road countries on the current basis of infrastructure, finance and cultural fields. For example, the cooperation between China and Khazakstan have set a good example for other countries.
He congratulate the establishment of belt and road Executive Group or BRIX and welcome others to participate in the initiative actively.
BRIX Chairman Ulf Sandmark explained the belt and road initiative and its significance in the world. He held that BRI is not only good for developing countries to cooperate with China but also for developed countries to cooperate with China and with each other under the framework of BRI.
Stephen Brawer, vice Chairman of the Belt and Road Executive Group in Sweden, also pointed out the strategy of the BRI. He also reviewed the Forum on China-Africa cooperation FOCAC,which was held in Beijing in early September. During the summit, 53 African nations linked up with the BRI to fulfill the African Union’s Agenda 2063 for continent-wide modern infrastructure interconnectivity between all the capital African cities and the elimination of poverty.
Kitty Smyth, a UK strategy and PR senior adviser for Sino-European Public relations, said the BRI, launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has a philosophical dimension of creating harmony. She then spoke about how it could foster a new type of international relations and forge partnerships of dialogue with no confrontation and of friendship rather than alliance. Smyth advised Sweden to establish institutions capable of developing long term BRI cooperation with China.
Chairman of the CSBC Ali Farmandeh said there is great potential for business partners in belt and road initiative. He stressed that the BRI is much more than Chinese production of Swedish goods. The New Silk Road is not something far away, as many in the northern corner of Europe think. Among the 70 nations that have joined the BRI, there are also neighbors in Europe, who are already building their parts of the world connectivity network, projects where Swedish buisinesses can take part immediately.
SinceusCEO Wu Ying shared her experience of helping Swedish startups successfully doing business in China.
Panalist of BRIX and Belt and Road summit forum spoke at the forum.
Lydia Liu, one of the Executive Group members who is also a Swedish Chinese said BRIX establishment will push forward Sweden to join the Belt and Road Initiative as soon as possible. China has welcomed Sweden many times to participate in belt and road framework and like to share its development opportunities especially Swedish small and medium sized enterprises to have a win win cooperation with China.
Hussein Askary who has translated a book about BRI into Arabic language was the host of the forum.
