Suzhou, June 9, 2025 - The China-Africa Climate Change and "Africa Solar Belt" Capacity-Building Workshop commenced today in Suzhou. Mr. Lu Shize, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and Wang Xin, Chief Expert of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. Ms. Joyce Jelagat from the Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry addressed the audience on behalf of the trainees.

The opening ceremony was attended by 27 participants from 14 African countries, including Mali, Kenya, São Tomé and Príncipe, Togo, Chad, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Cameroon, South Africa, Malawi, and Nigeria.

In his address, Mr. Lu Shize emphasized that the Chinese government has consistently and actively implemented national strategies to address climate change. He highlighted the establishment of the "1+N" policy framework for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the steady progress of the dual-track carbon market, and the ongoing efforts in climate adaptation. Additionally, he noted that China actively engages in South-South cooperation on climate change, providing assistance to African countries through various forms of support to enhance their climate resilience. To date, China has signed 21 MoU on South-South climate cooperation with 17 African countries.

Mr. Wang Xin pointed out that the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center has actively responded to the Belt and Road Initiative by advancing South-South cooperation on climate and environment. Initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition and the China-Africa Environment Cooperation Center have been launched to support African countries in green development policy dialogue, cooperation network building, capacity training, and demonstration projects, thereby strengthening their capacity to address climate change and achieve sustainable development.

On behalf of all trainees, Ms. Joyce Jelagat expressed gratitude to China for the meticulous preparation of the training program. She stated her hope that the workshop would not only provide insights into China’s policy systems and technological pathways for addressing climate change but also create opportunities for experience sharing and collaboration among experts and colleagues from Africa and China.

Scheduled to take place from June 8 to 21, 2025, in Suzhou, Yixing, and Shanghai, the workshop aims to implement the China-Africa Cooperation Declaration on Combating Climate Change, build consensus among African countries in addressing climate change, and share China’s practical experiences in climate mitigation and adaptation. It also seeks to deepen exchanges and cooperation between China and African nations in addressing climate change, further develop and implement the "Africa Solar Belt" project, expand the China-Africa cooperation network on climate change, and enhance the capacity of African countries to tackle climate challenges.