Roundup: AU holds groundbreaking ceremony for Chinese-aided project

The African Union (AU) on Wednesday conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Chinese-aided project, dubbed the AU Integrated Services Center, at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The project, which is fully financed by the Chinese government, will encompass among others, an accreditation facility, a cafeteria, and the AU Archives and Exhibition Center.

A Chinese company, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company (AFECC), will carry out the project.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairperson of the AU Commission, Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, Kuang Weilin, Head of Chinese Mission to AU, and Jiang Zhaoyao, CEO of AFECC, as well as other officials of the pan-African bloc, diplomats, and dignitaries attended the ceremony.

The facilities and services that will be housed in the Center will help AU manage its summits, meetings, and conferences better, noted Dlamini-Zuma on the occasion.

The project will provide much-needed space to preserve AU's heritage in the form of the rich archival materials of Pan-Africanism, African people's struggles for independence and self-determination and evolution of the Union.

The exhibition space will put on display not only African historical materials, but also the myriad publications by AU, and its specialized agencies, said Dlamini-Zuma.

"Indeed, we would like it, in both physical and digital forms, to become an attraction for scholars and historians from across the continent," she added.

Dlamini-Zuma has commended China for its continued support to AU's projects, which further strengthen its friendship with Africa.

"We are particularly grateful for the longstanding and ongoing friendship and cooperation with the government of the People's Republic of China, who continues to render support to the African Union, including the Conference Center and Offices inaugurated in 2012, and now the AU Integrated Services Center," she said.

"As we perform this groundbreaking ceremony, we see it as yet another step in the journey of a thousand miles that we have started with the government of China, towards mutual friendship, solidarity and prosperity for the peoples of Africa and the people of China," she added.

Kuang Weilin, Chinese Mission Head to AU, noted that the latest project is yet another symbol for the friendship and cooperation between China and Africa.

Stating that China and Africa have many opportunities of cooperation and partnership, he also reiterated China's commitment to be by the side of Africa in the implementation of Agenda 2063, a strategic framework to achieve integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

"This is the latest testimony to China-Africa ever-growing cooperation. The AU Integrated Services Center demonstrates China's strong support and firm commitment to the African Union. When completed, the Center will become another symbol for China-AU, China-Africa friendship," noted Kuang.

Recalling that his Company was founded in 1992, Jiang Zhaoyao, CEO of AFECC, reiterated that his Company, with support from the Chinese government, has successfully undertaken more than 50 large and medium projects over the past two decades.

The CEO expressed his companies' commitment to carry out the latest project with quality and delivers it as per the schedule. Endit