Advancing the Modernization Drive of the Global South and Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

The 13th Meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum took place in Dar es Salaam， Tanzania， on March 8， 2024. Under the theme of “China-African Practice： Building a Community with a Shared Future”， the forum delved into the major concerns and strategic cooperation between China and Africa in the new era. It aimed to advance the implementation of various initiatives and accomplishments in China-Africa cooperation while also gathering insights for the upcoming session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation （FOCAC）. During the forum， the “China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus”， also known as “The Consensus of the China-Africa Think Tank on Deepening Global Development Cooperation”， was unveiled. It urged the international community to deepen development cooperation grounded in principles of mutual respect， unity， openness， win-win collaboration， and common prosperity. This call to action seeks to foster knowledge exchange， intellectual discourse， and cultural enrichment on a global scale.

Urgent Need for More Shared Ideas Within the International Community to Address Unprecedented Changes

Both Chinese and African scholars assert that the world is currently encountering challenges yet also holds prospects for peace and development. China and Africa are undergoing a new awakening in thinking and knowledge innovation. In this context， it is imperative to contribute greater wisdom and foster broader consensus in the realm of knowledge and ideas， as human society requires increased mutual interdependence to navigate shared challenges and opportunities. As significant members of the Global South， both China and Africa bear the historical mission of development and rejuvenation for the benefit of their people. Therefore， they take proactive roles in global governance to propel all countries forward in their pursuit of modernization and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. The China-Africa Think Tanks Forum， serves as a major sub-forum of FOCAC， issued the consensus which encapsulates the wisdom and knowledge generated by more than 5，000 scholars from nearly 60 countries during face-to-face interactions over the past 15 years. Since 2010， through the collaborative efforts of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of FOCAC， the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum has evolved over 15 years， hosting 13 think tank conferences and the first China-Africa Media & Think Tank Symposium， along with other international academic exchanges.

The China-Africa Think Tanks Forum was incorporated into the framework of FOCAC in 2012， marked by its first conference held in Ethiopia in collaboration with African think tanks. In 2013， the forum proposed the implementation of the China-Africa Think Tank 10+10 Partnership Plan and issued an initiative. Subsequently， the forum partnered with South African think tanks and held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa in 2015. In 2016， the forum’s scale reached a new high with the establishment of an economic and trade sub-forum and the holding of the first China-Africa Media & Think Tank Symposium. In 2017， the China-Africa High-Level Dialogue and Think Tank Forum on Fighting Against Poverty for Common Prosperity took place at the African Union Headquarters. During this event， English and French editions of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s book on poverty alleviation， Up and Out of Poverty， were launched. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi， along with African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat， graced the occasion with their presence. After more than a decade of development， the forum has emerged as an institutionalized platform for dialogue and exchange among China-Africa diplomatic circles， academia， think tanks， business circles， and media entities.

Extensive Content of the China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus

Guided by the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind， the consensus delved into a comprehensive discussion of the major issues and challenges facing the world today， proposing common solutions.

Firstly， we advocate prioritizing development and exploring a people-centered development trajectory characterized by independence， mutual respect， and mutual learning. We champion universal values such as peace， development， fairness， justice， democracy， and freedom for all humankind， implementing the Global Development Initiative. We support countries exploring their own paths toward modernization based on their unique cultures and development needs， fostering dialogue rather than clashes among civilizations， and facilitating the exchange of governance experiences. We are committed to ensuring that our development serves the interests of the people and is driven by their participation， with the benefits of development shared equitably among all， thereby safeguarding everyone’s right to pursue a better life.

Secondly， we advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world to foster shared development. We aim to accelerate the democratization of international relations， enhance the representation and influence of developing countries within the international system， and promptly rectify the historical injustices endured by Africa. We uphold and safeguard each nation’s sovereignty， territorial integrity， and right to development. Furthermore， we will collaboratively optimize global resource distribution， address development disparities both among and within countries， and ensure that all countries， regardless of their size， capabilities， or wealth， have access to equitable development opportunities.