The One Belt, One Road (OBOR) and a prosperous Africa conference kicked off this afternoon (Thursday, 19 November 2015) at the DUT Hotel School Conference Centre, Ritson Campus.
The conference, which is held jointly by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Durban University of Technology (DUT), Confucius Institute at DUT (DUT CI) and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO), ends tomorrow (20 November 2015).
The conference serves as a build up to the 6th Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) ministerial meeting to be held in South Africa next month and will bring together specialists in China development strategies to carve a continental wide approach on the One Belt One Road Strategy.
One Belt, One Road is a development strategy which was created by the Chinese government in 2013. It refers to the New Silk Road Economic Belt which will link China with Europe, through Central and Western Asia and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which will connect China with Southeast Asian countries, Africa and Europe. While neither the Belt nor the Road follows any clear line in geographical terms, they serve as a roadmap for how China intends to further integrate itself into the world economy and to strengthen its influence in these regions.
With Africa being one of the key global growth points, China has prioritised its interaction with the continent through the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The conference proceedings will be consolidated into a publication that will be used to further solicit inputs from African countries and scholars on how Africa should participate in One Belt One road Strategy.
View the full conference programme.
Event details:
Date: Thursday, 19 November 2015
Time: 13:00 – 21:15
Date: Friday, 20 November 2015
Time: 08:00 – 22:00
Venue: DUT Hotel School Conference Centre, DUT Ritson Campus.
RSVP: Journalists are urged to RSVP by no later than 10:00, 18 November 2015 via noxolom@dut.ac.za or sinegugunp@dut.ac.za.
– Pictured: The New Silk Road Economic Belt. Picture credit: Google Images.
