Africa Union envoy urges joint action with China on climate, global system reforms

Rahmat Allah Mohamed Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, has called for joint action between China and Africa on climate change and urged reforms to the global financial system to address Africa's concerns.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) ahead of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing, Osman emphasized the impact of climate change on Africa and underscored the importance of collaboration with China to address this pressing issue.

"We need to cooperate on all areas. Climate change is an issue now. Although Africa is not contributing to the damage of climate change, but we are suffering from the impact of the climate change. But we are working on that, and we have specific plans for how to combat the climate change," said Osman.

He also highlighted Africa's decades-long push for a more equitable global economic order, a call that began in the 1970s. Osman noted ongoing discussions with China on these reforms, expressing hope for joint progress.

"One of the most important issues is the reform of the Security Council, for instance, of the United Nations system itself, and the global financial system. This is the most serious problem which we are facing in Africa. We feel that the global financial system is not in our favor at all. This is not something new for the developing countries. We are calling for a new economic international order since the 70s, but nobody has listened to us. But still, now the situation is more aggravated, and we are looking forward and China, we are discussing this issue also with China, and we are hoping that together you could do more in this regard,” Osman said.

His comments came ahead of the 2024 FOCAC Summit in Beijing, a major diplomatic event aimed at strengthening ties and mapping out future cooperation between China and Africa.

The three-day summit, which began on Wednesday, is themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future."

Africa Union envoy urges joint action with China on climate, global system reforms

Authorities in Shanghai and neighboring eastern provinces have taken tight measures to suspend public activities as Typhoon Bebinca, the 13th this year, landed in the coastal regions on Monday morning.

The most powerful typhoon hitting Shanghai since 1949, Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai at around 07:30 on Monday, bringing about 50 millimeters of rainfall by 08:00.

On Monday morning, a hydrological station near the Huangpu River reported that the water level had risen to 4.5 meters, nearing the height of the dyke.

The usually bustling riverbank now stands empty, with only one police vehicle on standby to monitor water levels and address emergencies.

In response to the severe weather, the city's two airports, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao Airport, have canceled all flights from 20:00 on Sunday until 14:00 on Monday, with over 900 flights called off and the flight resumption remaining pending.

Additionally, all ferry services, highways and parks have been closed for safety concerns.

Coinciding with the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival starting from Sunday, the Shanghai municipal government has ordered the cancellation of all outdoor festive activities and the shutdown of illuminated attractions.

Uprooted trees are seen along roadsides, and municipal workers have been busy with clearing operations since early Monday morning.

According to the municipal meteorological observatory, the typhoon is estimated to last for 12 hours, with its impact on the metropolis likely to diminish on Tuesday.

In Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, the municipal government elevated the emergency response to Level-1 on Sunday night, marking a rare occurrence for the city.

The city has mobilized a total of 30,000 municipal workers, including electricians and police officers, to be on call in case of any emergency.

Plus, all public bus and food delivery services have been ordered to halt operations. Similarly, construction work citywide have been asked to suspend, with workers evacuated to local gyms for shelter.

Public activities suspended in Shanghai, Jiangsu amid Typhoon Bebinca