中非携手落实八大行动
文 | 查尔斯·卡勇加(Charles Kayonga) 卢旺达共和国驻华大使
翻译|周竞男
编辑 | 张梅
导读:
卡加梅总统指出,卢旺达和整个非洲需要重点关注的目标领域为工业、信息通讯技术、基础设施建设和贸易。
● 聚首北京 共谋发展
●中非构建共同的未来
●卢中合作落实八大行动
聚首北京 共谋发展
2018年9月2日,各位非洲领导人奔赴中国首都参加第三届中非合作论坛(FOCAC)峰会,一时间仿佛所有的非洲道路都指向了北京。峰会由习近平主席以及南非总统西里尔·拉马福萨共同主持。这次北京峰会历史性地将53个非洲国家聚集到了一起。 在这些国家当中,有三位新加入的成员:冈比亚、圣多美和普林西比以及布基纳法索。保罗·卡加梅总统身兼双重身份——非洲联盟轮值主席和卢旺达共和国元首,也是参会人员之一。另外,联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯先生、非洲联盟委员会主席穆萨·法基·马哈马塔也参加了峰会。
FOCAC成立的宗旨就是同历史、共未来。自从2000年成立以来,FOCAC已经成为中国和非洲国家合作与交流的有效平台,并且双方都取得了共赢成果。 特别是自从习近平主席2013年就职以来,该论坛的发展速度加快。在那次峰会上,习近平主席提出了“十大合作计划”倡议,并承诺提供600亿美元的资金支持。卢旺达总统在北京FOCAC峰会上的致辞中,称赞习主席与非洲广泛接触,并回忆习主席“到访过非洲大陆的每一个角落,不论国家大小和经济体量”,同时表示,无论“是其本身、还是对于非洲的国际地位来说”,FOCAC都处于“深刻转型”之中。6月22日,习近平主席对卢旺达进行国事访问,他因此也成为到访该国的第一位中国元首。
2018年9月这场峰会的主要目的之一就是总结FOCAC约翰内斯堡峰会的后续行动以及“十大合作计划”相关经贸措施的实施情况。正是由于这些计划在过去三年里成功得到实施,非洲领导们对于此次北京峰会才会抱有如此强烈的期待、如此激动。习近平主席指出中非“历史上拥有相似的命运”,现在又为未来的目标进行着共同的奋斗,作为非洲联盟轮值主席的卢旺达总统卡加梅在讲话中赞扬道,FOCAC已经发展成“一个与非洲2063议程和可持续发展目标完全契合的有力引擎”。在驳斥针对该论坛的一些批评时,卢旺达总统说任何人都不应该认为中国和非洲的关系是成问题的,并指出,双方关系日益发展并不以牺牲其他国家的利益为代价。
到目前为止,FOCAC所体现出来的成功、坚韧的中非关系,必须遵循某些原则,才能成功。习近平主席点明了中国一贯坚持的原则,并称之为“不”原则。他说中国对于干涉别国内政、干涉别国政治选择、将自身意愿强加给非洲国家、在投资和金融合作时附加政治条件、寻求私政治利这些方面,采取的是“不”政策。别国对非洲的干涉依然是阻碍非洲大陆稳定和发展的最棘手的原因之一,因此在此处指出中国道路、并要求其他参与非洲事务的国家也遵循此例是十分切题的。
中非构建共同的未来
理解“构建人类命运共同体”这一概念是FOCAC北京论坛最关键的成果之一。众所周知,不公正的、具有剥削性质的关系是造成战争和灾难的罪魁祸首,这些战争和灾难无论是过去还是现在,都折磨着人类。1994年,在卢旺达,超过一百万图西族人在不到一百天的时间里被屠杀,而整个世界却袖手旁观。那些强大的国家当中哪怕有一些国家能表示一丁点的反对意见,也能使局面大为不同。而这也让卡加梅总统在某一次大屠杀纪念讲话中得出结论,认为这个世界就是不公和残忍的!因此,习近平主席关于构建一个共同的未来,从而“使这个世界变成一个和平、稳定、生活更幸福、更充实的世界”的倡议值得高度赞赏。
一带一路倡议被视为落实“构建共同未来”这一愿景的平台。该倡议旨在沿着古老的丝绸之路和海上丝绸之路——它们把亚洲、欧洲、非洲还有其他区域连接起来——打造现代化的互联互通基础设施和生产力。这将打开世界上最不发达地区、包括非洲一些地区的市场,促进发展、提升几十亿人口的幸福感。在峰会发言中,卡加梅总统提到非洲希望成为“一带一路倡议全面且不可分割的一部分”。他接着又呼吁提高各国对合作项目的拥有感、改善项目管理,又鼓励更多非洲私营部门参与进来。如果有的国家紧盯着一己私利不放的话,是无法成为一带一路倡议的重要组成部分的。因此卡加梅总统作为非洲联盟的主席呼吁非盟成为一个“更有效的聚焦点”。如果以上这些措施都能有效实施,一带一路将毫无疑问地实现各国领导人的愿景,成为“一条和平、繁荣、开放、绿色发展和创新的路,一条汇聚不同文化的路”。
卢中合作落实八大行动
习主席提出的“八大行动”旨在打造“一个更为紧密的中非命运共同体”。该是继“十大合作计划”之后提出的。非洲各国对“八大行动”以及中国承诺的600亿美元资金寄予了厚望,希望借此推动非洲大陆继续发展,在奠定其可持续发展基础的同时也给中国和世界带来相应的利益。
就卢旺达来说,FOCAC北京行动计划及实施的未来三年,正好与卢旺达制定的计划2020年完成的“2020愿景”规划的时间段重合。当展望下届FOCAC的时候,你会发现它又涵盖了卢旺达新制定的“2050愿景”之“前30年规划”的前四年。在同一个时间段里,中国正好打算完成第二个千禧年计划两步走的第一阶段——这个千禧年计划的目标是将中国建设成为现代化社会主义国家。卡加梅总统指出,卢旺达和整个非洲需要重点关注的目标领域为工业、信息通讯技术、基础设施建设和贸易。他还表示有兴趣就环保、医疗、民间交流、和平与安全进行合作。特别是,卢旺达的2050愿景的落实机制被称为NST——国家转型战略,这一战略将会持续七年。正如FOCAC北京行动计划一样,NST与非洲联盟的2063议程是一致的,都有十年(2014-2023)落实计划以及可持续发展目标(SDGs)。NST与东非共同体(EAC)2050愿景也是一致的,两者的重点都是创造就业、提高就业率。因此,习近平主席提出“八大行动”简直恰逢其时!
卢旺达的国家转型战略建立在以下三大支柱之上:经济、社会和治理转型。经济转型支柱的主要目标是加快包容性经济增长,以及利用我国的自然和人力资源获得发展。社会转型支柱则定位于培养有能力、有技术的公民,让他们在一个稳定、安全的社会里过上有质量的生活。至于治理转型支柱的总目标,则是巩固优秀的治理体系和公平正义。这些目标和“八大行动”的目标不谋而合。发展工业和贸易便利化的能够促进工业发展、刺激贸易增长,从而创造出为大众所亟需的工作岗位。发展医疗和能力建设这两个领域对于我们非洲国家的年轻人来说是必要的,而且事实上非洲大陆也将会成为实至名归的经济引擎。基础设施不仅仅是非洲社会、经济转型的一大瓶颈,它还阻碍了非洲大陆潜能的充分发挥,从而影响了整个世界的发展。正因为如此,一带一路倡议给基础设施建设带来了希望——倡议的目的正是为了提高互联互通性和工业生产水平。而且非洲联盟也适时调整好了自己的角色,进而在机制改革和一些旗舰项目——比如非洲大陆自贸区、单一航空市场和人员与货物的自由流通当中发挥自己应有的作用。非洲国家在改善商业环境过程中表现出来的积极性将会极大地促成以上目标的达成。
英文版:
China and Africa can forge an Even Stronger Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership
By H.E.Ambassador Charles Kayonga of the Republic of Rwanda to China
Photo by the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda to China
On the 2nd September, 2018, all roads from Africa converged on Beijing as African leaders travelled to the Chinese Capital, for the 3rd Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit. Co-Chaired by President Xi Jinping and Cyril Ramaphosa, his South African counterpart, the Beijing FOCAC Summit was unprecedented bringing together 53 African countries. Among these were new entrants to the Forum namely, the Gambia, Sao Tome and Burkina Faso. H.E Paul Kagame was among the participants, attending in his dual capacity as the rotating Chairperson of the African Union as well as the Head of State of the Republic of Rwanda. The Summit was also attended by H.E Antonio Guterres, the SG of the United Nations and Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Founded on a solid base of a shared history and common future, FOCAC has since establishment in 2000, evolved to become an effective platform for cooperation and exchange between China and African countries and both sides bear evidence of win-win outcomes. The Forum has gained momentum particularly since the assumption of leadership of H.E Xi Jinping as President in 2013. His first foreign visit, just weeks after his election, was to Africa, where he visited three African countries, the Republic of Congo, Tanzania and South Africa. Two years later, in 2015, the Second FOCAC Summit took place in Johannesburg and the two sides, reiterating their common challenges in development and shared interests, agreed to upgrade the cooperation to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership. At the meeting, President Xi Jinping proposed ten cooperation plans and advanced 60 billion dollars for their implementation. In his speech during the Beijing FOCAC Summit, the President of Rwanda commended President Xi Jinping’s engagement with Africa recalling the President’s “visit to every region of the continent including countries of every size and economic profile” and asserting that FOCAC has been “deeply transformational both internally and with respect to Africa’s global position”. On July 22, President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Rwanda and became the first ever Chinese Head of State to visit the country. In an article published in the national daily newspaper, The New Times, entitled “China and Rwanda: A Friendship higher than the mountains”, the President of Chinacalled the friendship between China and Rwanda an “epitome of the friendship between China and Africa”.
One of the major objectives of the September 2018 Beijing Summit was to review the implementation of follow-up actions of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit and that of economic and trade measures of the ten cooperation plans. After presentations by the FOCAC co-chairs, President Xi Jinping of China and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, participating Heads of State expressed satisfaction. Indeed, it is the successful implementation of the last three years of operations that have generated the great expectations in the Beijing Summit explaining the turn up and the enthusiasm of the African leaders. Speaker after speaker at the Summit praised FOCAC acknowledging its basis and relevance. President Xi Jinping highlighted the common bonds that hold China and Africa together referring to a “similar fate in the past” and yet common struggles and future goals, he noted that these are decisive factors for the current “distinctive path of win-win cooperation”. President Kagame of Rwanda, speaking as the rotating Chairperson of the African Union lauded FOCAC praising its evolution “into a powerful engine of cooperation fully aligned with Africa’s agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals”. Directing his remarks at the critics of the Forum, the President of Rwanda asserted that the relationship between Africa and China should not be seen as problematic by anyone and that the growing ties between the two sides do not come at the expense of others. President Kenyatta of Kenya praised FOCAC for its sense of kinship and brotherhood explaining his point by citing Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart “When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so”.
A successful and resilient relationship with Africa as demonstrated by FOCAC so far can only succeed by following certain Principles. President Xi Jinping pointed out those that China has adhered to, calling them “no approaches”. He asserted that China has a “no” policy in interference in countries internal affairs, interference in political choices of countries, imposition of will on African countries, attaching political strings to assistance and seeking selfish political gains in investment and financing cooperation. Interference remains one of the most serious factors hindering the stability and development of the continent of Africa and it was most relevant to point out the Chinese way and to challenge other players in African affairs to follow suit.
Understanding on building a community with a shared future for mankind was one of the key outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. History has documented centuries of suffering across the wide world. It is also established fact that unfair and exploitative relations are some of the principle causes of war and catastrophes that have afflicted humanity in the past and at present. In Rwanda, in 1994, more than one million ethnic Tutsi were annihilated in less than one hundred days while the world looked on. Even a slight disapproval from some of the powerful countries of the world could have made a huge difference. This prompted President Kagame to conclude during one of his genocide commemoration speeches that the world is unfair and merciless! Therefore, President Xi Jinping’s proposal to work toward building a shared future in order to “make the world a place of peace and stability and life happier and more fulfilling for all” is highly commendable.
The Belt and Road Initiative is seen as a platform for implementing the vision of building a shared future. The initiative aims to build modern connectivity infrastructure and production capability along the old Silk Road and the maritime Silk Road linking Asia, Europe, Africa and beyond. This will serve to open up some of the most underdeveloped regions of the world including in Africa, boosting development and improving the well-being of billions of people. During his address to the Summit, President Kagame spoke about Africa’s wish to be “a full and integral part of the Belt and Road initiative”. The President further called for increased sense of ownership of joint programs, improved project management and increased participation by the African private sector. Africa cannot be an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative with some countries clinging on narrow national interests. Thus the Chairperson of the African Union advocates for the African Union serving as “a more effective focal point”. Should this work out, there is no doubt that the Belt and Road will turn into what the leaders envision, “a road of peace, prosperity, openness, green development and innovation and a road that brings together different civilizations”.
The advocated eight major initiatives aim to build “an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future” Coming in the wake of the ten cooperation plans, the initiatives along with the pledged 60 billion dollars are greatly expected to push the African continent further forward in laying the foundation for sustainable development while bringing commensurate benefits to China and the wider world. As far as Rwanda is concerned, the three years of FOCAC Beijing Action Plan and the initiatives coincide with the remaining time frame of implementation of the national Vision 2020, which ends in 2020. When one considers the next FOCAC, the time frame also covers the first four years of the new 30 year Vision for the period 2050. During the same period, China will be embarking on the first phase of her two step implementation of the second millennium goal of building a modern socialist society by 2049. President Kagame identified some of the key target areas for Rwanda and for Africa as industry, ICTs, infrastructure and trade. He also pointed out interest in collaboration on environmental protection, healthcare, people to people exchange and peace and security. It is worth noting that the implementation instrument of Rwanda’s 2050 vision will be the seven years National Strategy for Transformation (NST). Like the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan, the NST is aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063 with its First 10-Year Implementation Plan (2014-2023) and the sustainable development goals (SDGs). It is also aligned with the East African Community (EAC) Vision 2050 with its focus on job creation and employment. Therefore, the Major Initiatives advanced by H.E Xi Jinping could not have come at a better time!
The Rwanda National Strategy for Transformation is built on the following three pillars: the economic, social and governance transformation. The main objective of the economic transformation pillar is to accelerate inclusive economic growth and development through the exploitation of our natural and human resources. The social transformation pillar aims to develop capable and skilled citizens with quality standards of living and a stable and secure society while the overarching goal for the governance pillar is to consolidate good governance and justice. These objectives are the same as those envisioned under the eight initiatives. The industrial promotion and trade facilitation initiatives will result in growth of industries and boost trade creating the much needed jobs. Developing the health and capacity building sectors is necessary if the youth population of our countries and indeed the continent is to be turned into the economic driver it ought to be. Infrastructure is not only a major bottleneck to Africa’s social economic transformation, the world is also benefiting less without the development of the continents full potential. There is hope therefore in projects like the Belt and Road and other initiatives in infrastructure which specifically aim to promote connectivity and industrial production. It is also timely that the African Union is getting better positioned to play its rightful role with the progress of the institutions reforms and work on some of the flagship projects such as the continental free trade area, the single air transport market and the free movement of people and goods. African countries pro-activeness to improve the business environment on the continent will greatly facilitate the endeavor.