African leaders trooping to Beijing for 2018 FOCAC summit

Presidents and heads of government across Africa are already in or arriving in the Chinese city of Beijing for a high-level summit hosted by the Chinese government.

The Forum for Africa-China Cooperation, FOCAC, summit is a meeting between the two partners and is largely premised on ways to increase diplomatic, economic and bilateral ties.

It officially kicks off on September 3 through to September 4. This year’s edition is themed “China and Africa: Toward an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation.”

The summit is seen largely as key diplomatic event hosted by China this year and attended by the largest number of foreign leaders to date. African leaders already in Beijing have held different levels of talks with their Chinese counterparts signing deals and also meeting investors.

Dumelang, I have landed safely in ??China for an official 3 day State visit. This is my first state visit as President & will hold talks with President Mr. XI Jingpin tomorrow to renew a long lasting friendship between the two countries. #MovingBotswanaForward #GoMasisi ?? pic.twitter.com/0aKnBU4PGN

— Mokgweetsi EK Masisi (@OfficialMasisi) August 30, 2018

President MBuhari this afternoon departed Abuja for Beijing, China to attend the Forum on China-Africa Corporation (FOCAC) Summit. #PMBinChina2018 #PMBAtFOCAC7 pic.twitter.com/BxrxIYLut0

— Presidency Nigeria (NGRPresident) August 31, 2018

Au 1er jour de ma visite d’Etat en République populaire de Chine. pic.twitter.com/HKbBvRyxvu

— Roch M. C. KABORE (@rochkaborepf) August 30, 2018

???? My wife and I are in Beijing, venue for the third Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (#FOCAC2018). We arrived at the Beijing International Airport on Friday 31 August 2018, at midday local time.#ChinaAfrica#PaulBiya#BiyaJinping#ChantalBiya#Cameroon pic.twitter.com/mhjFyT99U4

— President Paul BIYA (@PR_Paul_BIYA) August 31, 2018

Le President #IBK, accompagné de son épouse AminataMKeita, est arrivé le 29 août 2018 à Beijing pour une visite officielle de 72 heures. Il rencontrera son homologue chinois Xi Jinping le 31 août pour une revue stratégique des relations entre la #Chine et le #Mali pic.twitter.com/Eze9uTZR8v

— Presidence Mali (PresidenceMali) August 29, 2018

Heureux d’être à Beijing (Chine), où je suis arrivé ce mardi 28 août 2018, en fin d’après-midi (heure locale), pour une Visite d’Etat et pour prendre part au 3e Sommet du Forum sur la Coopération sino-africaine. pic.twitter.com/NI9Z3J3RiL

— Alassane Ouattara Officiel (@AOuattara_PRCI) August 28, 2018

H.E President M_Farmaajo held bilateral talks with H.E President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing today. The meeting re-affirmed the strong relationship and future cooperation between Somalia and China. pic.twitter.com/Ue2wQ3Jzv8

— Villa Somalia (TheVillaSomalia) August 31, 2018

#Congo Denis SassouCG NGuesso a quitté la capitale #Brazzaville le 30 août 2018 pour la #Chine où il effectuera du 5 au 6 septembre une visite d'État, à l'issue du sommet #ChineAfrique prévu à #Beijing les 3 et 4 de ce même mois #FOCAC AlainAkouala ThMoungalla congosouverain pic.twitter.com/YWuGx5HTtj

— ICIBRAZZA (@ICIBrazza) August 31, 2018

Je me réjouis de cette nouvelle rencontre avec mon homologue Xi Jinping à Pékin, qui a porté sur le renforcement des relations entre le #Niger et la #Chine.
Cette visite illustre une fois de plus l’amitié exemplaire et la vitalité de la coopération entre nos pays. -IM#FOCAC2018 pic.twitter.com/ahlu5qcFhn

— Issoufou Mahamadou (@IssoufouMhm) August 31, 2018

Departed from JKIA this evening for Beijing where I will attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)https://t.co/LS1w9rJnHd pic.twitter.com/wvVGmeaEWf

— Uhuru Kenyatta (@UKenyatta) August 31, 2018

PM Abiy Ahmed will attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation #FOCAC in #Beijing b/n Sep 3-4 & is expected to discuss with President Xi Jinping & Premier Li Keqiang. The Forum will elevate the relations. #China is #Ethiopia’s largest trading partner & source of the largest FDI.

— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) August 27, 2018

This year is the third time the summit has convened, following the inaugural 2006 summit in Beijing and the 2015 summit in Johannesburg, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

African leaders and the chairman of the African Union (AU) will be in attendance, and the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General will be the esteemed guest, joined by 27 international and African groups as observers.

The interest in the forum is a result of China’s growing influence on the African continent and proves the FOCAC has been pragmatic and efficient, analysts said.

“Established 18 years ago, FOCAC has led international cooperation with Africa and has become a significant marker of South-South cooperation,” said Li Dan, director of Africa Studies Center of China Foreign Affairs University.