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On June 24, a trilateral High-level Dialogue entitled ‘Prioritizing Support to Africa During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic’ between China, Africa and UNESCO, was held in the form of video conference. The conference was co-chaired by Tian Xuejun, Vice Minister of Education and Director of National Commission for UNESCO of the People’s Republic of China, and Firmin Edouard Matoko, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations of UNESCO. The Chinese Minister of Education Chen Baosheng participated in the dialogue and delivered a keynote speech. Education ministers, university presidents, and officials of UNESCO National Commissions from Côte d"Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Namibia, Togo and other African countries, UNESCO senior officials, and heads of the UNESCO Regional Offices in Africa, were also present at the dialogue.
Chen Baosheng stated that, since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese government had made the life safety and health of all teachers and students a top priority and worked relentlessly to promote pandemic prevention and control and facilitate school re-opening. It had taken targeted measures in fighting the pandemic and adopted innovative approaches to education by moving all classes online, concentrating its efforts on aid coordination and actively engaging in the global anti-pandemic battle through deepened cooperation with all parties. So far, over 200 million faculty, staff and students had returned to their campuses around the country. Seen from the latest coronavirus developments across the globe, pandemic prevention and control would remain part of everyday life for a certain period of time, and it would be more difficult to ensure people’s rights to life, development and education in the post-pandemic future.
Chen stressed that, just as pointed out by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 the week before, though both faced with the test of a severe challenge, China and Africa offered mutual support and fought shoulder to shoulder with each other while strengthening friendship and mutual trust. China was willing to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit, and work with UNESCO by supporting its lead role in its terms of reference and increasing support to African countries. He suggested to create an educational community by reinforcing information exchange, expanding cooperative channels and application of technology, and sharing of quality resources, with a view to achieving the Education 2030 Agenda and consolidating collaboration between China, Africa and UNESCO.
Representatives from African countries spoke highly of China’s success in combating COVID-19 and recognized the Sino-African tradition of mutual assistance and the longstanding friendship between China and Africa. They appreciated the valuable experiences shared by the MOE and the practical measures in support of Africa proposed by local governments, HEIs and enterprises in China, acknowledging China’s firm commitment to supporting Africa and expressing their willingness to pursue greater solidarity and closer cooperation with China.
Ms. Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education of UNESCO, applauded China’s actions to continue educational reforms, explore new approaches to pedagogy and allow students nationwide to study at home via online courses during the pandemic. Mr. Matoko, Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations of UNESCO, expressed appreciation to China’s strong support to UNESCO since the pandemic began.
The dialogue was jointly initiated by China and UNESCO, targeted at following up on the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit results, exchanging and sharing experiences and lessons learnt in the fight against COVID-19, and discussing on pragmatic measures in support of Africa during and after the pandemic. The Chinese government and African countries responded positively to the dialogue. Representatives from relevant local governments, HEIs, enterprises and research institutions in China participated in the dialogue, too, in a joint effort to enhance China-Africa cooperation within the organizational framework of UNESCO.