Food Security
China issued a white paper on food security on October 14, detailing the country’s efforts in enhancing food security and expanding international cooperation in the area.
Despite a weak agricultural foundation and extreme poverty, the Communist Party of China has led an unremitting campaign of hard work over the past 70 years that has made China basically self-sufficient in food supply, said the white paper.
Abiding by the principle of basic food self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, China implements the strictest farmland protection system and a strategy of sustainable farmland use and innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity. While ensuring domestic food security, China will join the global fight against hunger. China will continue to assist other developing countries to the best of its ability within the framework of South-south cooperation and promote the sound development of the global food industry, according to the white paper.
CHINA-MAURITIUS
Free Trade Agreement
China and Mauritius signed a free trade agreement (FTA) on October 17, the first FTA between China and an African country, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).
The China-mauritius FTA is the 17th FTA signed by China. The agreement covers trade in goods and services, as well as investment and economic cooperation. The FTA will not only provide a strong institutional framework to deepen bilateral economic and trade relations, but also boost China-africa economic and trade cooperation, according to the MOFCOM.
In the area of trade in goods, China and Mauritius will eventually achieve zero tariffs on 96.3 percent and 94.2 percent of tariff product items respectively, accounting for 92.8 percent of import volume for both countries from each other.
BOTSWANA Establishment of a New School
The Chinese Government will build a primary school in Kazungula, a village in the northern part of Botswana. It will be the fourth primary school in Botswana funded by the Chinese grant. Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Kazungula on October 15, China’s Ambassador to Botswana Zhao Yanbo said the grant is a people-centered initiative, aimed at assisting developing communities.
“China upholds the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in its dealings with Africa. The project will continue to further nurture the bilateral relations as education is key to transitioning to a knowledge-based economy,” stated Zhao.
The two countries’ cooperation in education has seen 1,454 Botswana personnel benefit from scholarships and training programs funded by the Chinese Government.
NAMIBIA Implementing Minimum Wage
Namibia has made good progress in finding ways of implementing a reasonable minimum wage for its workers, an International Labor Organization (ILO) representative for Namibia and Zimbabwe said on October 16.
ILO representative Hoplang Phororo said wages are among
Investment from China in various sectors accords with Mozambique’s development strategy, and has had a positive impact on improving Mozambicans’ life.
the most important conditions of work and a major subject of collective bargaining.
“The ILO is committed to promoting policies on wages and incomes that ensure a just share of the fruits of progress to all and a minimum living wage for all employed in need of such protection.”
Phororo added that Namibia needs to provide evidence-based policy advice on minimum wages, public sector pay, wage bargaining and gender pay gaps going forward.
SOUTH AFRICA Improving Economic Competitiveness Ranking
South Africa rose seven places in terms of economic competitiveness on a ranking released on October 9 by World Economic Forum (WEF), which, said President Cyril
Ramaphosa, serves as an acknowledgement of the country’s structural reforms.
The fact that South Africa has been able to improve its ranking within a relatively short period of time “is a welcome sign that the structural reforms put in place to stimulate the economy... are slowly but surely gaining traction,” Ramaphosa said.
The WEF’S annual Global Competitiveness Report ranks drivers of productivity and long-term economic growth in 141 economies under a range of socio-economic indicators, such as infrastructure, market size, business dynamism and innovation capability. According to the report, South Africa rose seven places to 60th in 2019, beating fellow BRICS members India, which fell 10 places to 68th, and Brazil (71st). China (28th) and Russia (43rd) remain well ahead.