FSS organizes public seminar on the role of China’s Development Assistance to Africa
Forum for Social Studies (FSS), in collaboration with the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) of Norway, organized a public seminar under the main theme of China and Africa: The role of Chinese Development Assistance on Tuesday, 24th January, 2023 at the Inter Luxury Hotel.
Following a brief welcoming by Dr. Yeraswork Admassie, the Executive Director of FSS and Mr. Elling Tjønneland, Senior Researcher and Project Director at CMI, the public seminar started with opening remarks by H.E. Mr Egil Thorsas, Deputy Head of Mission and Minister Councilor of the Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa. This was followed by a second opening remark by Professor Alemayehu Geda, Macro-economy and Finance Senior Researcher at AAU, that focused on the benefits and challenges of Chinese economic engagement with Africa.
The main public seminar itself was conducted under the two sub-themes of the research project, namely: Chinese Development Aid and African Development and Case Studies of Chinese Aid to Africa.
In the first session that dealt with the first sub-theme the following presentations, moderated by Dr Messay Mulugeta, were made:
Yu Zheng (Professor of International Politics at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University, Shanghai)
What drives Chinas development aid engagement in Africa (digital presentation)
Elling Tjønneland
Chinese development aid to Africa – what, how and what difference does it make?
Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr (Senior Researcher, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs)
China’s multilateral engagement related to development aid
In the second session, the following case studies, moderated by Dr Lovise Aalen, were presented:
Liu Tiewa (Associate Professor, School of International Relations and Diplomacy, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing)
Aid from Chinese NGOs to Africa: Case Study of China Foundation for Rural Development (digital presentation)
Gedion Jalata (Chief Executive Officer, Center of Excellence International Consult, Addis Ababa
China’s aid engagement – The case of Ethiopia
Muhidin Shangwe (University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania) and Stein Sundstøl Eriksen (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs)
Chinese aid to Tanzania – the case of infrastructure
Michael Sambo (Institute for Social and Economic Research, Mozambique) and Aslak Orre (CMI)
Chinese loans and debt relief – the case of Mozambique
Each of the presentations was followed by a discussion session during which attending participants asked questions to which the presenters adequately responded.
Around 43 participants including dignitaries, members of the diplomatic community representatives in Addis Ababa, and others drawn from Research and Higher Educational institutions, including journalists from local electronic and print media, attended the public seminar.