Matekane to attend China-Africa summit 

Staff Reporter 

PRIME Minister, Sam Matekane, is set to attend the highly anticipated Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit scheduled to take place in Beijing, China, from 4 to 6 September 2024.  

This according to the statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday. 

The FOCAC summit brings together African Heads of State, leaders of Africa-related international organisations, and Chinese officials. This edition is held under the theme “Joining hands to advance modernisation and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future”. 

The summit will feature four high-level meetings, addressing crucial topics such as state governance, industrialisation and agricultural modernisation, peace and security, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Additionally, the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs will be held, alongside various related activities. 

“The FOCAC Summit is recognised as a pivotal diplomatic event, being the largest of its kind hosted by China in recent years, with an impressive roster of foreign leaders in attendance. This gathering follows previous summits held in 2006, 2015, and 2018, continuing the tradition of fostering strong ties between China and Africa. 

“Prime Minister Matekane will be accompanied by Ministers; of Public Works and Transport Matjato Moteane, and of Finance and Development Planning, Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane,” part of the statement read. 

Lesotho has benefitted immensely from China due to the FOCAC summit. Some of the remarkable milestones are the Natioanl Assembly building, the Maseru District Hospital and Eye Clinic, Mpiti to Sehlabathebe Road, the State House and the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre among others. It is therefore expected that the summit will further strengthen China-Lesotho relations, thus, yield more development and economic boosting results.