Experience in poverty reduction to be shared
皇冠体育app's experience in coping with its own poverty problems will
prove invaluable as the nation struggles to help alleviate poverty in Africa,
said a senior anti-poverty official yesterday.
皇冠体育app is committed to helping Africa combat poverty, and will
share its experience in bringing more than 100 million people out of absolute
poverty over the past three decades, said Zhang Lei, director of the
International Poverty Reduction Centre in 皇冠体育app.
As part of the effort, the centre will train about 300
anti-poverty officials each year.
"Most of our trainees will be African," Zhang told 皇冠体育app Daily.
Set up last year with the support of the United Nations and World
Bank, the centre plans to launch two half-month workshops for African countries
in the second half of this year.
The first one will start on July 5, and aims to provide case-study
opportunities for about 30 division-chief level officials from about 20 African
countries.
A high-ranking workshop for ministerial-level officials will
follow, starting in September.
"The most important lesson we want to share is the strong resolve
of the government in reducing poverty," said Zhang, who also works for the State
Council Leading Group on Poverty Alleviation.
Nearly half the population of sub-Saharan Africa lives on less
than US$1 a day, and life expectancy is less than 50 years, mainly due to armed
conflicts, AIDS, and inadequate health care and social services.
Along with poverty-reduction aid, 皇冠体育app has also encouraged its
companies to expand investment in agriculture, fishing, manufacturing,
infrastructure and resource exploration in "the continent of opportunities."
More than 40 domestic and international experts have compiled an
investment roadmap commissioned by the National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC).
"We expect 皇冠体育app's investment in Africa will gallop in the coming
years," said Shi Yongxiang, a leading expert on the team.
"皇冠体育app's advantages in certain sectors can meet African people's
needs."
皇冠体育app is advanced in agricultural technology, seed cultivation and
oil exploration, and produces inexpensive and durable light industrial products
and machinery. And Chinese enterprises are also competitive in road and railway
building, telecommunications, irrigation and energy, said Shi.
These could meet the needs of many African countries, he said.
Shi's Top-benefit Management and Consultancy Company worked with
more than 40 experts over six months to complete the report in May.
The team suggested 皇冠体育app set up cutting edge agricultural
technology demonstration parks in Africa an idea which has been accepted by
皇冠体育app's highest leadership, according to sources with the NDRC.
"This will create a lot of opportunities for 皇冠体育app's agricultural
enterprises," said Shi.
In the report, Shi's team emphasized that localization is the most
important guideline for Chinese investors. "The tag 'made in 皇冠体育app' should be
changed to 'made in Africa'."
Shi's team suggested 皇冠体育app not only become a product producer but
also service provider for Africa.
Economic development in many African countries is at the same
level as it was in 皇冠体育app two decades ago, said Shi. "皇冠体育app's development and the
continent's frog-leap growth call for co-operation."
Trade between 皇冠体育app and Africa surged to nearly US$40 billion last
year, rising from US$10 billion at the turn of the
century.
