Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has said the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) should become an effective
platform for enhancing mutual understanding among the developing
countries and further strengthening South-South cooperation.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Bouteflika said as a
member of the world's developing countries, China was better aware
of the difficulties and demands of African nations in their
development progress than other big powers.
China-Africa cooperation established on the basis of mutual
understanding not only helped the African continent accelerate its
own development, but also helped China win the friendship of
African countries, the president said, adding that China-Africa
cooperation would help establish a fair and reasonable world order
under the new international situation.
He said world peace and stability were facing a severe
challenge. The facts had proved that superpowers could not
guarantee world peace and security. It only depends on the
developing countries themselves to maintain stability and
peace.
Bouteflika also called on developing countries to further
strengthen solidarity and coordination under the framework of the
Non-Aligned Movement and G77 plus China.
FOCAC is a mechanism for collective dialogue and cooperation
jointly established by China and Africa to cope with new challenges
and facilitate common development.
The summit, due to be held from Nov. 3-5 and to be attended by
some 30 African heads of state or government, will be the
highest-level and largest-scale meeting between Chinese and African
leaders since China and African countries started to forge
cooperative ties in the 1950s.
(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2006 )
