On December 12, 2023, the China Africa High-Quality Development International Forum was held at Bole Lemi Industrial Park in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The forum was co-sponsored by Donghua University, Ethiopian Bahdar University, the United Nations Global Compact "the Belt and Road" action platform, China (Ethiopia) Textile and Light Industry Enterprise Sustainable Development Alliance, and other institutions. Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry attended the meeting and delivered speeches. Local mainstream media such as ETV, EBS, and Arts provided live event coverage. Dozens of Chinese textile and clothing enterprise representatives, including members of the China (Ethiopia) Textile and Light Industry Enterprise Sustainable Development Alliance, attended the forum.

 

Xiang Yanxun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Donghua University, pointed out in his opening speech that this forum coincided with the tenth anniversary of the proposal of jointly building the Belt and Road initiative and also opened the prelude to the 2023 China Africa Textile and Clothing International Forum and China Africa Cultural Exchange Forum, which is of great significance. He hopes to deepen cooperation with all parties and jointly promote the green, sustainable, and high-quality development of the textile and clothing industry in China and Africa. He looked forward to the guests sharing the practical experience of China-Africa textile and clothing industry cooperation, further deepening the construction of the "textile 'the Belt and Road' education and training base," and contributing wisdom and strength to create a better future for China and Africa jointly.

 

Professor Frew Tegegn, President of Bachdal University, reviewed the deep friendship and close cooperation between Donghua University and Bachdal University and looked forward to the space for further deepening cooperation between the two universities to help promote the sustainable development of the textile and clothing industry in China and Africa.
 
The theme of this forum is "Sustainable Green Development, Creating a Better Future for China and Africa," which includes one main forum and two parallel forums. The main forum included eight keynote speeches covering the research of China Africa textile and clothing industry chain experts and scholars on global textile and clothing supply chain management, the development of sustainable textile materials in Africa, the green development practice of China's textile and clothing industry in Ethiopia, as well as the enterprise representatives of China (Ethiopia) textile and light industry enterprises sustainable development alliance, Chinese and foreign experts on the innovation and cooperation of sustainable textile industry value chain, and the Belt and Road in-depth discussions on topics such as the construction of sustainable development goals, the construction of a community with a shared future between China and Africa, the construction of a green development evaluation system for textile industrial parks, and the construction of eco-friendly industrial parks.
 
The two parallel forum themes are "Theoretical Exploration and Practical Innovation of a Community with a Shared Future between China and Africa" and "Green Development of Ethiopia's Textile Industry." At the sub-forum, nearly 30 representatives of Chinese and foreign enterprises, as well as experts and scholars, respectively discussed the theory and practice of a community with a shared future between China and Africa, investment in the textile and clothing industry, and supply chain, exploring how to focus on effective educational cooperation in the textile and clothing industry, effectively promote the high-quality development of the textile and clothing industry in China and Africa, and assist in the construction of a community with a shared future between China and Africa.
 
During the forum, Donghua University also signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Bahdar University, which will further deepen cooperation in disciplinary construction, talent cultivation, scientific research, and other aspects, fully leverage their respective characteristics and advantages, and better serve the sustainable green development of the textile and clothing industry in China and Africa.

 

The China (Ethiopia) Textile and Light Industry Enterprise Sustainable Development Alliance is led by the Office for Social Responsibility of CNTAC and jointly initiated by 8 Chinese textile, clothing, and light industry enterprises investing in Ethiopia. It was officially established in June 2022. The alliance mainly relies on the management and operation mechanism established by the China Textile Federation, guided by CSC9000T, to create a communication, action, and dissemination platform for Chinese enterprises, win a better business environment for Chinese enterprises, establish a better corporate image, promote the sustainable development of Ethiopia's economy, society, and environment, and help build a community of shared destiny between China and Africa.