CPAFFC Delegation Visits Three West African Countries

Invited by Robert Beugre Mambe， Governor of Abidjan District of Cote d’Ivoire； Yao Bloua Agbo， President of the Togo-China Friendship Association， and Kojo Amoo-Gottfried， President of the Ghana-China Friendship Association， a CPAFFC delegation led by Vice President Feng Zuoku paid a goodwill visit in early August.

The delegation called on Daniel Kablan Duncan， Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire， and Robert Mambe， Governor of Abidjan District. In Togo， it met Edem Kodjo， former Prime Minister of Togo. It then had meetings with Haruna Iddrisu， Minister of Trade and Industry， Akwasi Opongfosu， Minister of Local Government and Rural Development， and Hannah Tetteh， Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration， in Ghana.

It also attended a working meeting presided over by Cote d’Ivoire Prime Minister Duncan. The Minister of Commerce， Crafts and Small and Medium-sized Enterprise （SME） Promotion， Minister of Livestock and Aquatic Resources， and Minister of the Environment， Water Resources and Forests were also present.

The delegation made an inspection tour respectively to Port of Lome in Togo， and the Accra Market in Ghana.

In Cote d’Ivoire

When attending the Second Dialogue between Chinese and African Governors and Mayors in the Chinese provincial capital of Jinan in June 2013， Abidjan Governor Mambe established contact with the Liaoning Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries（LPPAFFC）.

Sun Delan， Deputy Secretary General of the LPPAFFC， specially inspected the rice cultivation project in Abidjan aided by the China Liaoning International Cooperation Corp. The project is making good progress and has won praise from both Chinese and Cote d’Ivoire sides. The project’s scale is to be expanded in the near future.

Abidjan is Cote d’Ivoire’s gateway to the sea and trade port， through which 90 percent of the country’s goods are imported and exported. It was a desolate fishing village bordering on Ebrie Lagoon with a population of less than 20，000 before World War II.

After the completion of the 27-kilometer Vridi Canal linking Ebrie Lagoon and the bay in 1950， Abidjan underwent rapid urban construction and is now a metropolis with a population of 4.35 million. On entering Abidjan， it seems like a European or American city. Everywhere there are high buildings and large mansions in many designs， cloverleaf intersections， promenade parks with lush vegetation and stores with gorgeous shop widows.

The hot climate and plentiful of rainfall ensure trees and flowers bloom all year round.

During the delegation’s stay， the government of Cote d’Ivoire repeatedly stated their intention to build it into an emerging country by 2020 and that they needed to learn China’s experience in development， particularly the economic development model of Wenzhou.

The Cote d’Ivoire side discussed with members of the delegation who came from the Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce Beijing Branch about the project for a large-scale comprehensive trade center in Abidjan as well as the development project of the surrounding area of Ebrie Lagoon.

The delegation was told that in the near future， the Governor of Abidjan would send a delegation to Wenzhou on a study tour in preparation for building a Chinese commodity wholesale center in the capital.

In Ghana

Located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea facing the Atlantic Ocean， Accra， the capital， is the African city nearest to zero longitude and latitude. Bright sunshine， gaily-colored flowers， green trees and blue seas make this tropical coastal city all the more beautiful.

During the delegation’s visit， Haruna Iddrisu， Minister of Trade and Industry， said the government welcomed Chinese private capital to enter Ghana and would accelerate the modernization process of Accra market by adopting a joint State-private operation.

The Ghanaian President has instructed the Ministry of Trade and Industry， the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources， the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Accra Municipal Government to establish a joint commission to help Chinese enterprises solve problems cropping up in the market’s development.

Now， Accra has joined the Millennium Cities Initiative. Iddrisu expressed his belief that with the concerted efforts of Chinese and Ghanaian entrepreneurs， Accra would develop into a more beautiful city.

In Togo

Since the 17th century， Togo， taking advantage of its favorable location facing the Atlantic Ocean， has vigorously developed its foreign trade. At present， the volume of China-Togo bilateral trade has approached US$ 3.5 billion.

Kodjo Tsro Fogan Adegnon， Mayor of Lome， the national capital， and Managing Director of Port of Lome， presented a key of the city to CPAFFC Vice President Feng Zuoku and conferred upon him the title of Honorary Citizen of Lome. He briefed the delegation about the conditions of the port.

Despite its relative small scale compared with other West African ports along the Atlantic coast， Lome is a natural harbor with deeper water and has great development potential as the country enjoys political stability and attaches great importance to the development of the port.

Entrepreneurs in the Chinese delegation all agreed that Port of Lome had a bright prospect and that if Chinese private companies wanted anywhere in West Africa， they should take part in infrastructure construction.

The three West African countries visited not only have beautiful scenery and hospitable people， but also huge economic growth potential.