Upcoming FOCAC to consolidate Sino-Africa economic partnership: UNIDO official

ADDIS ABABA - The upcoming summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is expected to deliberate on ways of consolidating the economic partnership between China and Africa, said Jean Bakole, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Regional Director.

During a workshop on industrial parks held Tuesday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Bakole told Xinhua that China has played a very key role in the economic development in Africa.

"China has been a key partner to many African countries, in particular regarding the new economic paradigm of Africa, which is focused on scaling up the industry sector," he said.

Stating that China has been engaged in infrastructure development in Africa for a long time, he said the upcoming summit would inject momentum to think about how to consolidate the partnership between China and Africa in accelerating the continent's economic growth.

He suggested African countries learn from China's experience in industrialization and industrial park development.

"There is no way African countries can achieve the economic growth without accelerating industrialization," he said.