President Yoweri Museveni has attended the opening session of the Forum on China – Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit held at Sandton Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, during which the Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a total of US$60 billion in funding support to Africa.
The support includes US$5 billion of grants in zero interest loans and US$35 billion in preferential facility and export credit loans and concessional loans.
President Xi Jinping also announced drought aid for the continent worth US$156million worth of emergency food aid to affected countries and said his country is greatly concerned about the poor harvest caused by El Nino in many African countries.
President Museveni attended the high level meeting co-chaired by President Xi Jinping and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, alongside 15 other African Presidents.
The three-day FOCAC meeting is the second time China has brought together African leaders since the forum was launched in Beijing in 2000.
China’s trade with Africa has since overtaken that of the traditional partners, Europe and the United States.
South African President Jacob Zuma said African countries needed Chinese help to process their abundant natural resources, which he said had made the continent vulnerable to exploitation in the past.
The Johannesburg summit which concludes tomorrow with China – Africa Roundtable Discussions chaired by President Jinping and President Zuma is held under the theme: Progressing together: win -win Cooperation for Common Development.
In his remarks, President Zuma said that hosting the China -Africa forum clearly demonstrates mutual trust, equality and partnership between Africa and China. He noted that the new measures highlighted in the forum will take the relationship to the new level.
The current Chairman of the African Union and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe hailed China- Africa relationship saying that it has stood a test of time. He said that African Union is dedicated to the guidelines regarding the relationship both China and Africa.
Later, President Museveni held several bilateral meetings on the side lines of the forum where he met and held discussions with the first Vice President of the Sudan Mr. Bakry Hassan Salih. The two leaders focused on matters of bilateral nature as well as trade between the two countries.
The President also met several entrepreneurs who showed interest in investing in Uganda especially in the areas of infrastructure.
