By Senior Editor, China Africa News
Beijing,The African diplomats in China are clearly working to revitalize Sino‑African ties. In a meeting in Beijing, AU Permanent Representative to China, Ambassador Mohamed Sarjoh Bah, met with Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, James Kimonyo, and the two reaffirmed their determination to deepen cooperation.
They agreed on the importance of aligning Agenda 2063, the Belt & Road Initiative, and FOCAC to generate practical, mutually beneficial outcomes.
They emphasized scaling up socio‑economic development, building partnerships that support both continental and national priorities, and turning regional challenges into investment opportunities.
A key part of their discussion was leveraging African financial institutions like Afrexim Bank and increasing support for SMEs.
Rwanda and China already share a strong and growing relationship. Rwanda joined the Belt & Road Initiative in 2018, and since then China has supported major infrastructure projects in Rwanda from roads to hydropower and healthcare. Kigali aims to use BRI support to drive its Vision 2035 and Vision 2050, focusing on infrastructure, social development, and industrialization.
There is also a practical economic dimension: China‑Rwanda trade has expanded, and Rwandan SMEs are increasingly tapping into Chinese markets. Ambassador Kimonyo has promoted Rwandan products through livestreaming on Chinese e-commerce platforms, helping boost exports.
On the multilateral front, Ambassador Bah’s role is central for the AU.
When he was received by AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, they discussed implementing the ten Partnership Actions from the 2024 FOCAC Summit including industrial development, digital economy, infrastructure, human capital, and more.
Bah has expressed that the AU wants to work closely with China to realize the outcomes of FOCAC, in a way that brings real benefits to African people.
For Rwanda, this kind of alignment is strategically attractive because it ties its national development goals to broader continental ambitions.
