‘We’re trying to replicate China’s development model’ – Nana Addo

Magdalene Teiko Larnyoh 12:11 - 05 September 2018

President Akufo-Addo said, “we are witnessing today how China’s aggressive development of the market economy, on the wheels of industrialization, in this new era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has lifted some half a billion people out of poverty, creating the world’s largest middle class in the process.”

President Akufo-Addo has said that Ghana has an aim to replicate China’s development model.

The President was speaking at the round-table meeting of Presidents and Heads of State at the 3rd Summit of the Forum on China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC), in Beijing, China on Tuesday.

He added that he was inspired by China’s model and was “trying to replicate same, through, inter alia, our industrialization policy of “1-District-1-Factory”, and an increase in agricultural productivity through the programme for ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’.”

He said that China and Africa must work tirelessly to develop their countries for the citizens as they also enhance trade ties.

He added that the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, proposed by China’s President Xi Jinping, will further intensify Chinese commitment to Africa’s development.

“Last night’s message from President Xi, in his opening statement at this Summit, involving the allocation of a comprehensive package of support for Africa’s development, including a $60 billion fund, is a powerful reinforcement of that commitment,” the President recalled.

In a data compiled by the China-Africa Research Initiative at Washington’s Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, it showed that China lent around $125bn to Africa between 2000 and 2016.

The country invested heavily into roads, railways, ports and other major infrastructure projects.

During the President’s recent visit to China, Ghana and China also signed eight Co-operation Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding in different sectors of their respective economies.

The agreements are the One belt one road Memorandum of Understanding, Memorandum on Regional Aviation Co-operation Agreement for Co-operation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and Co-operation to carry out Maternal and Child Health Project.