China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation

IV. Strengthening Building of Development Capacity

Development is one of the most urgent problems confronting Africa, but lack of technology and skills is the key element that hinders its development. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the building of development capacity in Africa, carrying out human resource development and cooperation with African countries, and sending experts and youth volunteers to Africa to help African countries improve the ability of fostering skilled people.

Strengthening educational exchanges and cooperation. China and Africa have conducted fruitful educational cooperation, fostering large numbers of skilled people for Africa. By the end of 2009, 107 schools had been built in Africa with Chinese assistance, and 29,465 African students had received Chinese government scholarships to study in China. At present, the Chinese government offers about 5,000 scholarships to students from African countries each year. It has also intensified its cooperation with African countries in fields such as higher education, vocational education and long-distance education, building specialized laboratories for biology, computer science, analytical chemistry, food preservation and processing, horticulture and civil engineering.

Providing management and technical training programs. China helps cultivate managerial and technical skills for Africa in multiple ways. By June 2010, China had provided training programs for over 30,000 people from African countries, covering over 20 fields such as economy, public administration, agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing industry, medical care and public health, science and technology, and environmental protection. Besides, Chinese enterprises in Africa have trained for those countries large numbers of skilled technical personnel through building training centers and running on-the-job training courses, and bringing African employees to receive training in China.

Holding practical skills training courses. China has held in many African countries practical skills training courses on planting, livestock breeding, fishing, weaving, embroidery and leather processing. For example, China held many bamboo and rattan weaving courses for refugees, dropout students, and impoverished peasants in post-war Libya, which helped to promote the development of the local bamboo and rattan weaving handicraft. The trainees later could earn a monthly income of US$150, greatly improving their living conditions.

Sending experts and youth volunteers to Africa. By the end of 2009, China had sent 104 senior agricultural technical experts to 33 African countries, helping them to map out agricultural development plans, and offering guidance and training courses on agricultural skills. It sent experts to guide the production and operation of China-aided projects, to train local managerial staff, and to help African countries to manage projects on their own. China also cooperated with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and signed the South-South Tripartite Agreement with Mauritania, Ghana, Ethiopia, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Mali and Nigeria, sending to these countries over 600 Chinese agricultural experts and technicians. By the end of 2009, China had sent 312 youth volunteers to Africa, providing voluntary services in Chinese language teaching, medical care and public health, physical education teaching, computer training and international rescue.