Concurrent forward movement of China, Africa to promote world prosperity: Namibian president

Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba has emphasized concurrent development among nations as the underlying value of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Mbumba visited Beijing in September for the 2024 FOCAC Summit, the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years. The three-day summit, which ran from Sept 4-6, aimed to deepen ties and outline future cooperation between China and Africa.

In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Mbumba said FOCAC is highly complimentary with China's other international initiatives that promote fairer global development.

"FOCAC is based on other initiatives, for example, the Belt and Road Initiative, which is a program, an initiative of China to make sure that where development is needed, is necessary and is needed not for the benefit of one country, but for the benefit to develop trade, develop economy, to develop science, to develop education. It is necessary, therefore, that this forum is very, very important, very unique. We are here talking about the business; We are here talking about trade; We are here talking about the issue of mining, the issue of developing new forms of energy, and therefore we are comfortable with those types of arrangements. We will continue to cooperate with China in many, many respects," he said.

Mbumba also stressed that China has taken on a leadership role in promoting the sharing of innovations and the leveling of the scientific playing field.

"If we are to talk about development right now, you can't talk about development without thinking or talking about China. We have to work together, first in the area of peace to create stability in the world, to make sure that science, technology, innovations and general development in the scientific field is shared openly. So if we can do that, then China and Africa will develop concurrently moving forward, and that will bring real prosperity to the people of the world," said the president.

Concurrent forward movement of China, Africa to promote world prosperity: Namibian president

Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba has encouraged China and other countries facing false narratives propagated by Western powers to embrace their own histories in order to move forward.

In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday, Mbumba called out Western scholars and commentators who have painted China as a "neo-imperialist" power rather than a country intent on pursuing peaceful development.

The president rejected this framing, stressing that China and African countries have fought shoulder-to-shoulder against imperialism and colonialism. That history, he said, should not be forgotten amid international efforts to pursue common development.

"I think one thing we must understand -- honoring your history. Honoring the history of the former leaders and honoring the culture and history of your own country come in many ways. Some people write about it. Some people invent things about it. Some people will produce energy, food and other things. Some other people respect and protect their own country, whether it is with their harbors or space or land or air. So, respect comes in many ways," Mbumba said.

"The 'amnesia' is the jealousy. We must admit that some people are just jealous of what China has become in such a short time getting so many millions of people out of poverty and hunger and putting them on par with the rest of the developed countries. But ours now is to make sure that we cooperate in the development around the economies, in the training of our people, in providing health to our people. You are now free, behave like free people and develop. Choose your friends and talk to your friends the way you want to talk and not to be told who to talk to and who not to engage with," added the Namibian president.

Honoring of history vital to overcoming false Western narratives: Namibian president