The African Development Bank (AfDB) should continue to play a
significant role in fostering economic development, poverty
reduction and social progress in the African countries, said Zhou
Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China and member of the
board governors of the People's Republic of China in AfDB.
He was speaking at the 41st annual meeting of the Board of
Governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the 32nd
annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the African Development
Fund (ADF), held from May 17-18 last year in the city of
Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.
He further stressed that the AfDB should help the African
nations achieve a proper balance among reform, development and
stability, and focus on resolving existing problems in the
agricultural industry and rural areas. Realization of poverty
reduction in the African nations should be based on economic
development, he noted.
More than 2,000 participants, including finance ministers and
central bank governors of the AfDB's African and non-African member
countries, as well as representatives of international financial
institutions, non-government organisations and news agencies,
attended the meetings.
In his statement at the AfDB's annual meeting, Governor Zhou
acknowledged the progress made by African nations in recent years
in improving the macro-economic situation in the region, and called
on African countries to pay attention to the great challenges that
remained in the road to economic development.
In response to the groundless accusation made by some
individuals and sections of the media that China's only interest
lies in the natural resources of African nations and not in
economic cooperation with them, Governor Zhou said the Chinese
government has always attached great importance to developing
friendly cooperation with the African nations, and supports the
AfDB in playing a leading role in promoting the economic growth of
African countries.
He stressed that the AfDB should play a meaningful role in
facilitating cooperation, not only between the north and south, but
also between the south and south.
Prospects are bright for bilateral cooperation between the Asian
and African countries, despite the fact that many problems and
misunderstandings also exist.
The AfDB could serve as a bridge between the two sides to
improve communication and resolve the difference.
The strategic partnership China intends to build with African
countries should be complementary in nature and based on mutual
benefit.
There is great potential for strengthening bilateral cooperation
in the fields of resource development, textile industry and
infrastructure building.
China and Africa should work together to build a cooperative
framework ensuring mutual trust on both sides, the governor
said.
The Chinese government has emphasized its support to the African
countries and the AfDB by committing to host the annual meetings of
the AfDB in 2007. It has great confidence in being able to work
together with the AfDB to ensure the meetings are a complete
success.
(China Daily May 14, 2007)
