China, Congo lay out road map for Xi Jinping's pledge to invest $50 billion in Africa

China and the Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, have formulated “a timetable and a road map” on how President Xi Jinping $50 billion funding commitment will be devoted to African infrastructure projects over the next three years.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement Tuesday in Brazzaville, the second stop of his tour of Africa.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Wang said the two countries would hold a ministerial coordination meeting to implement the results of the agreement. Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September.

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These included a series of measures aimed at strengthening trade, economic and diplomatic relations, as well as military cooperation and strengthening inter-party relations, in addition to Xi's financial commitment to the continent.

Among the measures announced at the summit were zero customs duties on 100% of goods from Africa's least developed countries, as well as major land and maritime connectivity projects.

Congo-Brazzaville was chosen as co-chair of FOCAC last year and the oil-rich country will host the 2027 forum.

During his meeting with Nguesso, Wang said China “will help Africa develop, revitalize and move toward modernization, while at the same time promoting Congo's development and strengthening its international influence.” .

Nguesso said that as the continent's role becomes more important, “China's attention to Africa is expected to prompt the international community to pay more attention to it” and support African countries.

Tim Zajontz, a researcher at the Center for International and Comparative Politics at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, said the Republic of Congo will be an “important diplomatic interlocutor for China in the years to come.”

“The Brazzaville government wants to further strengthen cooperation in various sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, public health and tourism,” he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing in September 2024. Photo: Xinhua alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit in Beijing in September 2024. Photo: Xinhua >

Between 2000 and 2023, China has committed $5 billion in funding to the Republic of Congo.his key ally, of which more than half is devoted to the construction of roads, airports, ports and power plants.

More than 90 percent of Congo's exports to China are crude oil, followed by refined copper and raw wood. In exchange, Brazzaville imports finished products, including clothing, electronics, ceramics, machinery and construction equipment.

But Congo wants to export more of its products to China, and last year FOCAC won a deal to supply Poria cocos – an edible medicinal mushroom – in Chinese markets. The two countries also signed agreements on housing and urban construction during the summit.

Congolese Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso said Chinese funding could rehabilitate the country's electricity infrastructure and modernize the 512 km (318 miles) Congo-Ocean railway linking the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire in Brazzaville.

Carlos Lopes, professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town, said the long-standing partnership between the Republic of Congo and Beijing embodies the continuity of China-Africa relations.

“With its resource wealth and strategic location, Congo remains central to China's resource security and infrastructure expansion efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative,” he said. he declared.

Wang's week-long visit to Africa began in Namibia and continued on Wednesday with his arrival in Chad, where he met with Prime Minister Allamaye Halina and pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation, according to the agency of official press Xinhua.

“China is willing to strengthen comprehensive cooperation with Chad, support each other on major issues, jointly oppose power politics and intimidation, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both sides and to uphold international fairness and justice,” Wang said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed Thursday that Wang had completed his visit to Chad, after an armed attack on the presidential complex the same day left 18 people and a security guard dead.

Guo was responding to a reporter's question about Wang's security at the ministry's regular weekly press briefing.

The Africa trip is a diplomatic tradition for Chinese foreign ministers, who have made the continent their top overseas destination of the year for the past 35 consecutive years. Wang also visited Nigeria as the last stop of his tour.

This article was originally published in the South China Morning Post (SCMP)the most authoritative voice in reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP application or visit SCMP Facebook And Twitter pages. Copyright 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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