On a cool, sunny autumn day in Beijing, some 30 officials, experts and technicians from 17 Belt and Road countries, including Brazil, Thailand, Uganda, Egypt and Jordan, gathered at the city’s prestigious Tsinghua University to discuss climate change cooperation. Held on 2 September, just before the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the 2024 Seminar on Climate Finance also benefitted from the participation of the African attendees, who shared their perspectives on China-Africa climate cooperation. 

Sharing experiences 

N’Banan Ouattara from Cote d’Ivoire is no stranger to China. From 2018 to 2022, he pursued a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. During his studies, he visited rural areas in China and was impressed by the country’s poverty alleviation efforts. After graduating and returning to his home country, he became a lecturer at the University of Abidjan, where he shares the knowledge he gained with his students. 

Situated in West Africa, Cote d’Ivoire is a country that views agriculture as its key economic pillar. “In the past, we relied heavily on rice imports. But now, with the technical assistance from China, our rice production has increased. Climate change has significantly impacted our agriculture. In the Guiguidou area in south Cote d’Ivoire, Chinese agricultural experts have introduced new rice varieties that are better adapted to the local climate and more resilient to climate change,” Ouattara said.  

Guiguidou area is known as a demonstration centre for agricultural cooperation between China and Cote d’Ivoire. Since the launch of the first phase of the technical assistance project in 1997, it has evolved into a prominent rice cultivation area in the country. Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, Cote d’Ivoire’s state minister and minister of agriculture, rural development and food production, noted in an interview that Guiguidou exemplifies China’s support for Cote d’Ivoire’s agricultural development. He expressed hope that the successful experience of this project can be replicated in more regions across the country. 

“Cooperation with China is highly beneficial for African countries,” Ouattara noted, reflecting on his previous experiences that motivated him to return to China. “Climate change is a pressing reality. How we respond to it is what matters.” He emphasised that this training programme provides participants a valuable opportunity. “After completing this session, we can make concrete contributions to our government and community by addressing the challenges posed by climate change.” 

As an agricultural researcher, Ouattara also highlighted the importance of policy-making in helping farmers to navigate the impacts of climate change and enhance their incomes. “I hope to gain more experience through this training and apply it in my country,” he said. 

Mohamed Abdelhameed Ahmed Mohamed, an associate professor of agricultural economics at Fayoum University in Egypt, focuses on the economic perspective and has a strong interest in the field of climate finance. Previously, Ahmed Mohamed learned from colleagues and friends who had studied in China about the country’s measures and actions in adapting to and mitigating climate change. “For example, China has made remarkable achievements in developing biomass and other green energy sources, as well as promoting climate-smart agriculture. I hope to deepen my understanding of these areas through this training, and I also look forward to experiencing Chinese culture firsthand,” Ahmed Mohamed said.  

Fayoum University enjoys a high reputation in Egypt and maintains close collaboration with China. Ahmed Mohamed is passionate about working on joint projects with his Chinese counterparts. A few months ago, he and his Chinese partners applied for a project of processing medicinal and aromatic plants in Egypt using solar power. “Compared to the traditional methods, using solar power for drying is more efficient and environmentally friendly. We expect to receive the approval this October,” Ahmed Mohamed said. “I am very grateful to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for providing these opportunities, and I look forward to seeing more initiatives come to fruition and yield positive results.” 

Shared future 

Since 2024, extreme weather events have occurred frequently around the world, posing significant threats to human health and well-being. No one can remain unaffected by the severe impacts of climate change. 

Babito Samuel Akiki, a participant from Uganda, is the chief policy analyst at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. He has previously held positions as chief policy analyst in the Cabinet Secretariat at the Office of the President and as a senior economist in the Office of the Prime Minister. He noted that although developing countries account for only 3.3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, they face the greatest impacts of climate change and struggle to recover from it. Moreover, the economic growth of these countries depends heavily on climate-sensitive industries. Climate change has the potential to undermine the progress made in poverty reduction over the past decades and poses risks to sustainable development. 

Therefore, Akiki believes that “this training is very timely as developing countries explore various funding options to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It will help participants to understand various climate finance schemes, the potential carbon market, and how to leverage existing climate financing to promote sustainable development.” He noted that under the South-South cooperation mechanism, this training will form a resource hub for reform advocates, enabling participants to effectively apply the knowledge gained to address the effects of climate change. He expressed his gratitude to Tsinghua University and looks forward to receiving further training in other areas at this esteemed institution. 

Both China and Africa are among the regions heavily affected by climate change. The efforts China has made to combat climate change have received widespread recognition from the international community, particularly from countries in the Global South. 

According to Li Yonghong, deputy director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Centre of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said China has signed 19 South-South cooperation memoranda of understanding on climate change with 17 African countries to date. China is willing to further strengthen communication, coordination, and practical cooperation with African countries in addressing climate change.  

In November 2015, during the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, President Xi proposed cooperation project to set up 10 pilot low-carbon industrial parks, start 100 mitigation and adaptation programmes in other developing countries and provide them with 1,000 training opportunities on climate change. To date, China has held 62 training sessions under the framework of South-South cooperation concerning climate change, training more than 2,400 professionals in the field of climate response. 

This training session, through collaboration with major international climate organisations, aims to help participants from developing countries to gain a comprehensive, and accurate understanding of the Chinese government’s strategies, policies, measures, and achievements in climate change response. It seeks to enhance the management capabilities and technical expertise of developing countries in formulating strategies and policies for climate change, green development, and climate financing.

African Times published this article in partnership with ChinAfrica Magazine