The African Union (AU) has convened a high-level strategic retreat in Beijing to evaluate progress on Africa–China cooperation ahead of the 2024–2027 FOCAC cycle.
Continental Strategy Reset as FOCAC Nears
The African Union's Permanent Mission to China has convened a three-day strategic retreat to review the implementation status of China-Africa cooperation agreements and prepare a unified African position for the next Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) cycle.
The AU said the meeting, held in Beijing, assessed political, economic, and financing commitments and clarified priority actions for 2025–2027.
Deepening Cooperation Through Implementation Metric
The AU Mission explained that FOCAC's new commitments require stronger coordination between African states, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and China's ministries and financing institutions.
Officials emphasised the need for clear project pipelines, monitoring dashboards, and country-specific implementation plans, pointing to delays in infrastructure delivery, digital-connectivity rollouts, and agricultural modernisation programmes.
AU Priorities Reviewed
- Infrastructure & Transport: Rail, roads, ports, power corridors
- Trade Facilitation: AfCFTA integration, quality standards, customs systems
- Digital Transformation: Broadband expansion, digital-skills academies, cybersecurity
- Health Security: CDC capacity, vaccines, manufacturing partnerships
- Financing: Concessional loans, grants, public–private mechanisms
Officials said the retreat was necessary to "align Africa's priorities with China's evolving development financing landscape" and ensure countries maximise opportunities under FOCAC's announced pillars.
What AU Member States Must Now Address
Officials noted that while many FOCAC programmes are underway, implementation bottlenecks remain, particularly in financing flows, procurement approvals, and early-stage project design.
Several delegates called for harmonising Africa's negotiating frameworks "to avoid fragmented engagement with China.
Building a Unified Africa–China Implementation Engine
To accelerate progress before the next FOCAC ministerial meeting, the AU Mission outlined key actions:
AU's Immediate Priorities
| Priority Area | Required Action |
|---|---|
| Coordination | Strengthen the REC–AU–China project review cycles |
| Financing | Improve preparation of bankable projects for Chinese DFIs |
| Trade | Embed AfCFTA protocols into China–Africa trade programmes |
| Monitoring | Deploy unified digital tracking tools for FOCAC delivery |
| Diplomacy | Maintain a single continental voice in bilateral negotiations |
African ambassadors reiterated that China remains one of Africa's largest development partners, and that "streamlined coordination will determine the success of the next FOCAC cycle."
PATH FORWARD – Align, Prioritise, Deliver: Africa Strengthens Coordination
Africa's next phase of China engagement will rely heavily on better-designed project pipelines, harmonised national strategies, and coordinated diplomatic messaging. The AU intends to embed stronger monitoring tools and unified reporting systems to enhance clarity and accountability.
If successfully implemented, these measures could increase the speed and scale of FOCAC-linked investments, especially in infrastructure, digital transformation, and health security, while ensuring Africa negotiates from a position of collective strength.
Culled From: https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20251201/au-permanent-mission-china-convenes-strategic-retreat-focac-commitments
