Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Salim Ahmed Salim Thursday hailed China-Africa solidarity and called for concrete follow-up actions to further expand Sino-African cooperation in diverse sectors.

Salim made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the three-day China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

"The spirit of friendship, the genuine sense of commitment, and the resolve that have been demonstrated at this forum underline the bond of solidarity that exists between our two societies, a bond that has been nurtured over a long period and has overcome formidable challenges," Salim said.

He said the forum is a success, which is largely due to the fact that China-Africa relationship is founded upon the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared understanding of their people's needs.

Salim said the participation in this "collective discourse" by such an impressive number of African countries is an expression of the African people's appreciation of and support for China.

He said Africa particularly appreciates the decision of the Chinese government to reduce or cancel debts of 10 billion yuan owed by the heavily indebted poor and least developed countries of Africa in the coming two years.

"This significant decision should, indeed, send out a strong message to other creditor countries to reconsider their attitude towards Africa's external debt problem," he said.

He stressed that the world has undergone profound and fundamental changes in the past decades. "Now, the challenges are different with new pressures, including those of globalization.

It is, therefore, imperative that China and Africa should redefine how the two sides would respond to the new requirements, the new challenges as well as the new pressures which we in the South now particularly experience," he said.

Salim was confident that the rekindled spirit of cooperation that emanates from this forum will encourage African countries to redouble their efforts in building the African Union whose Constitutive Act has already been signed by close to two-thirds of OAU member states, in striving to eliminate conflicts in the continent, in consolidating institutions of governance that are all-inclusive, and also in the struggle of the African people to combat the devastation being caused by man-made and natural disasters and diseases.

"In the same manner, the reinvigorated partnership will bolster our efforts in seeking a more active and equitable role in global interaction," he said.

"We welcome the decision of the forum to further consolidate China-Africa cooperation in order to establish within the framework of South-South cooperation an enhanced and more dynamic partnership based on equality and mutual benefit", Salim said, and in particular, "we note with satisfaction the agreement of the Ministers to undertake joint efforts to improve trade and investment opportunities between Chin and Africa."

Salim expressed confidence that China and Africa will work together more vigorously in safeguarding the mutual interests of the two sides and in achieving common objectives.

"The commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated at this Forum need to be sustained in ensuring that the mechanisms, which have been established, for follow-up and implementation perform their work effectively and realize the enunciated objectives," Salim concluded.

At the end of his speech, the 58-year-old secretary-general recalled with sentiments his numerous visits to China, especially his experience as Tanzanian ambassador to China in the last years of the 1960s.

"Every visit to China has been a visit of discovery and inspiration. Discovery, because every time one learns more about this great country with its ancient history and civilization.

Inspiration, because of the tremendous changes and progress that have taken place over the years transforming China from a once oppressed, humiliated and under-developed country into the great and modernizing nation that it is today," Salim said.

"And throughout, one thing has remained constant," he noted, "the warmth and friendship of the people and government of this country towards the people of Africa and their firm commitment to the cause and aspirations of the countries and people of the South."

(People’s Daily 10/12/2000)