The First Asian-African Women’s Development and Cooperation Forum

Promote mutually beneficial cooperation and assist women’s development

December 30, 2021

Organize the first Asia Africa Women’s Development and Cooperation Forum, and use it as a conference mechanism and event opportunity to deepen traditional friendship among women in Asian and African countries, expand exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields, and build a cooperation stage between China and Asian and African countries in culture, health, education, tourism, and women’s social organizations.

Former President of Malawi, His Excellency Joyce Banda, delivered a video speech in which she happily recalled the beautiful memories left by her visit to China. She emphasized that China and Africa have withstood the test of time, and that women in China and Africa are a community with a shared future.

Vice Minister Yu Hongjun delivered a keynote speech, pointing out that the world’s women’s cause is an important component of human progress. With the increasing prominence of global women’s issues, the governance of women’s affairs is becoming increasingly urgent, and the scale and impact of activities are increasing. As a responsible developing country, China has become the main driving force for the progress of human women and is currently making its unique efforts and contributions to the greatest extent possible. Currently, human society is undergoing unprecedented changes, and the negative impact of hegemonism and Cold War thinking on the world’s women’s cause still exists. The international community is advancing global governance, including advancing the cause of world women, which is becoming increasingly difficult! The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the development of women’s cause. China is making new efforts and contributions to promoting the world’s women’s cause.

Zhao Meiling, President of the Asia Africa Women’s Development and Rights Protection Promotion Association, delivered a welcome speech. She pointed out that in recent years, the importance of women’s careers in Asia and Africa has been continuously highlighted and further developed. She emphasized that the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation was successfully held in Senegal recently, which is a grand event of special significance held during a special period.This conference has opened up new prospects for China Africa friendship, created new opportunities for common development, brought new benefits to the people of China and Africa, and injected new impetus into cooperation between Chinese and African women, opening up even broader space.

However, the development of women’s cause in Asia and Africa is very uneven, especially the COVID-19, which has caused great challenges to women‘s devlopment. Development is a golden key to solving various problems in the world today, and it is also an important guarantee for promoting the development of women’s cause. Cooperation is the only effective way to seek win-win results and achieve sustainable development. It is also the only way for women’s cause to achieve sustainable development. Working hand in hand with Asian and African women will further promote the stable and far-reaching development of women’s cause, and continuously create new brilliance.

Ethiopian Ambassador to China Teshome Toga, South African Ambassador to China Xie Shengwen, Benin Ambassador to China Simon, former Egyptian Ambassador to China Ma Aihua, former Pakistani Ambassador to China Hashmi, former Bahrain Ambassador to China Anwar, Nigerian Ambassador’s wife Zala, and UNESCO Representative to China Dr. Xia Zehan delivered speeches. Ms. Bai Jingying, a model of poverty alleviation in China, introduced her experience in leading women out of poverty and becoming prosperous.

At the roundtable meeting, six guests spoke freely, sharing the development history of women in their respective countries and elaborating on the opportunities and challenges faced by women’s development. Focusing on women’s development and health, actively providing suggestions and reaching a broad consensus.They are respectively CHRISTIANE ADOVELANDE, the wife of the Ambassador of Benin, KWARTEMAA AKUA HAMMOND, the wife of the Ambassador of Ghana; NYIMA JAMMEH, the wife of the Ambassador of Gambia; CHRISTIANE NDONG ELLA, the wife of the Ambassador of Gabon and OMAYMA, the cultural counselor of Egypt.

The successful hosting of the forum has been highly praised by ambassadors from various countries, providing an important platform for Asian and African women to share experiences, exchange and learn from each other. Everyone is optimistic about the prospects of China Africa women’s cooperation and will actively work to build a community with a shared future for women in Asia and Africa.