November 21st (AMSP/CGTN) – – The permanent representative of the African Union to China, Rahmat Allah Mohamed Osman, calls on the world to invest its green technology in the continent to ensure its development.
As it is said that Africa has got abundant renewable energy resources that need to be tapped in, Mr. Osman told CGTN’s Jiao Yang that the continent is the main producer of some minerals which are needed, not only for Africa but for the rest of the world. “So, we would like to have cooperation, and investment in Africa. We really need added value to our resources because, otherwise, we have done this for centuries or for years and we are not benefiting. This is a policy within the continent, and we need huge investments, but investments that are beneficial to both sides, not only for Africa. It will add value to our products, but it will also benefit other parties,” he revealed.
China has pledged to support Africa in enhancing climate adaptation capacity. It’s a pledge to provide new energy technologies and products, and also to implement thirty clean energy and green development projects that were agreed at the FOCAC forum in September in Beijing. “Your thoughts on these commitments, do they meet African nations needs? What more can the partners do on this?,” reporter Jiao Yang asked him.
“Yeah, you see; when we are talking about the cooperation between China and Africa, we really appreciate what China is doing for Africa, but we are not asking China to do all for Africa. We are ourselves, we have a share to play and others also have a share to play. China is doing its best and I think the result of the last FOCAC meeting or summit is very appreciated by Africa. I mean, more than 50 billion dollars over the coming three years for projects which you just mentioned, the projects which cover many areas not only on the climate change mitigation but also in industry, in agriculture…, will, in effect, help Africa to overcome the difficulties which were created by the climate change,” he stressed.
The permanent representative of the African Union to China indicated that Africa has agreement with China especially on the renewable energy, that is, joint projects on how the two parties can cooperate in the area of renewal energy. “And Africa is abundant of what is needed to have a renewable energy. If it is accounted as one of the best areas in terms of solar energy production, if it is wind which is there, if it is minerals that are needed; for instance lithium and whatever, all this is available in Africa,” he continued to disclose.
“So, we can contribute. This is, by the way, one of the reasons why African Union is admitted to the G20, because not only Africa needs the world, but also because the world needs Africa. It is a reciprocal benefit for both sides,” Ambassador Osman concluded.
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