The progress of Asia is an opportunity for Africa, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete said at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference on Saturday.

The development of Africa cannot be isolated from Asia, while Asia also needed Africa to pursue further development, said Kikwete while attending the forum in Boao, a scenic town in China's southern Hainan Province.

Kikwete, the first African head of state to speak at the forum, said the cooperation between Asia and Africa was mutually beneficial and would achieve a win-win situation.

He urged the building of a strategic partnership, through which African countries could overcome obstacles in many areas.

Africa needed to bring in more investment, infrastructure, human resources and technology, while Asia was rich in these resources, he said.

Africa was willing to cooperate with countries from Asia and other regions, he said, adding African nations were learning from the successful experiences of Asian countries.

He also stressed the importance of building renewable energy resources for sustainable development.

Established in 2001, the BFA is a pan-Asian platform of dialogue for key issues affecting Asia and the world. The theme of the 2008 annual conference is "Green Asia: moving towards win-win through changes".

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2008)