THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Young leaders are stepping to the forefront as drivers of China-Africa relations. At the just-concluded 9th ‘China-Africa Youth Festival,’ they exchanged ideas, forged partnerships, and envisioned a progressive future for both continents. Our contributing editor, Berlin-based journalist Nyima Jadama, was there and brings this report.
On 13 September, 59 young leaders from across Africa and the diaspora wrapped up a week-long study visit to the 9th China-Africa Youth Festival in Beijing and Qinghai Province. The event was co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, and the Qinghai Provincial People’s Government.
The program, held under the theme “Time and Space, Youth Power Strengthens China-Africa Friendship” and from 8–13 September, combined cultural and ecological exchanges with visits to the Qinghai Photovoltaic Solar Park, factories, historic sites, and universities. Participants also held discussions on poverty reduction and cooperation.
Since its launch in 2016, the annual festival has been a key platform for strengthening mutual understanding between Chinese and African youth. This year, the organizers also invited Africans based in the diaspora – from Germany, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
More than 200 guests attended the official opening, including senior Chinese officials, ambassadors and diplomats from nearly 50 African countries, African Union representatives, African youth delegates, Chinese peers, and African journalists.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Vice Foreign Minister Miao Deyu said the festival, a flagship program under the Forum, serves as a platform for mutual learning and helps carry out the forum’s initiatives.
Li Bin, vice chairperson of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairperson of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, said China and Africa have long shared close ties, with relations now at their strongest. Nothing that, for a long time, the Chinese and African people have supported each other in their respective endeavours to win independence and liberation and safeguard national sovereignty, and helped each other in the pursuit of development and national rejuvenation.
Amid global uncertainty, Ms Bin urged young people to recognize long-term development trends, strengthen trust through exchanges, work together to safeguard peace and fairness, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
She further encouraged youth leaders to support each other in times of difficulties and co-exist in harmony. ‘’I hope that young people from all countries will gain a key appreciation of the prevailing trend of world development, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, enhance mutual trust and solidarity’’ she concludes.
From the African Union, Chido Cleopatra Mbempa, advisor to the AU Chairperson on Women and Youth, stressed that today’s youth are carrying forward bonds of trust built over decades. She emphasized that cultural and sectoral exchanges in education, agriculture, technology, and entrepreneurship will define future collaboration. Mbempa urged participants to see themselves not only as festival delegates but as “custodians of legacy and pioneers of the future.”
The festival was first proposed at the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit by President Xi Jinping and African leaders. Its aim: to deepen youth exchanges, consolidate traditional friendship, and prepare future generations to sustain China-Africa ties.
This year’s edition gave participants opportunities to explore China’s cultural and ecological landscapes. They visited high-tech companies such as Xiaomi Auto Super Factory, cultural sites including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, and poverty alleviation projects such as Deji Village. They also toured the Yellow River, UNESCO-listed Kanbula Geopark, Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Minzu University, and the record-breaking Hainan Photovoltaic Plant.
For the first time, the festival included Africans from the diaspora, living in Germany, Brazil, Canada, the US, and the UK. Among them is yours truly. I found the exchange “an experience worth exploring” in my quest for global perspectives, particularly on culture and migration.
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The author, Nyima Jadama is a Berlin-based television host and media trainer. She’s the founder and host of ‘Nyima’s Bantaba Talk Show’ and the ‘Unfiltered Podcast’ on Alex Berlin TV, providing a platform for marginalized voices often overlooked in German mainstream media.
