President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on  Nov 29, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

DAKAR - The 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has issued the Dakar Declaration, pledging to deepen China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.

China and Africa call on all countries to work together to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, and to build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, according to the declaration.

China and Africa firmly adhere to multilateralism and support the UN cause, the declaration showed, adding that China firmly supports Africans as heads of international organizations and institutions, and supports African countries in deeply participating in global governance and playing a greater role in international affairs

China will not interfere in African countries' exploration of development paths suited to their national conditions, not interfere in their internal affairs, not impose its will on others, not attach any political strings to its aid to Africa, not seek political gains in its investment and financing in Africa, the declaration showed.

Recognizing the COVID-19 pandemic as a major challenge facing the mankind, China and Africa pledge to work together against the coronavirus.

China thanks African countries, the African Union and other regional organizations for their solidarity and support for China's anti-epidemic actions, while the African side speaks highly of China's efforts to assist Africa in its fight against the pandemic.

The international community should abandon vaccine nationalism, increase vaccine supply to Africa, ensure equitable distribution of vaccines and ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa, according to the declaration.

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China welcomes African countries to join the big family of Belt and Road cooperation, and stands ready to step up cooperation with the African Union and its institutions as well as African sub-regional organizations.

China and Africa firmly adhere to multilateralism and support the UN cause, the declaration showed, adding that China firmly supports Africans as heads of international organizations and institutions, and supports African countries in deeply participating in global governance and playing a greater role in international affairs.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Senegalese Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall in Dakar on Dec 28, 2021. (LI YAN / XINHUA)

African countries welcome and support China's Global Development Initiative, the declaration also indicated.

China encourages its enterprises to expand investment in Africa and support the localization of production in Africa, it said.

China and Africa has also issued a declaration on climate change cooperation, recognizing that climate change has become a major challenge to the natural ecological environment and social and economic development of China and Africa

Meanwhile, both China and Africa are committed to the sustained and sound development of the Olympic Games and oppose the politicization of sports, it said, adding that the African side supports China in hosting the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and wishes the games complete success.

China and Africa has also issued a declaration on climate change cooperation, recognizing that climate change has become a major challenge to the natural ecological environment and social and economic development of China and Africa.

Noting that addressing climate change and the resulting migration activities is a challenge facing all mankind, both China and Africa urge the world to work together under the multilateral framework.

Developed countries should earnestly fulfill their funding obligations to help developing countries, especially African countries, to cope with climate change, and strive to fill the gap with pledged $100 billion per year by 2020 as soon as possible, the declaration showed.

China and Africa pledge to jointly safeguard the reasonable rights and interests of China and Africa as well as other developing countries, and will hold a high-level forum on China-Africa climate change cooperation under the framework of South-South cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the declaration.

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The two sides agreed to advocate innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared sustainable development, and will work for the "green recovery" of the post-epidemic world economy, it added.