AUDA-NEPAD CEO holds talks with Chinese Ambassador on artificial intelligence and smart infrastructure

By:  Kanto Kai Okanta

The Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), Nardos Bekele-Thomas, has held high-level talks with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the African Union, Jiang Feng, aimed at strengthening political trust and advancing a more results-driven China–Africa partnership.

The meeting focused on reinforcing long-standing mutual political confidence while aligning cooperation with the core priorities of both sides. Discussions covered expanded collaboration in key development areas including industrialisation, agriculture, innovation, artificial intelligence and smart infrastructure.

The two sides also explored ways to deepen people-to-people exchanges, with particular emphasis on youth cooperation, skills development and capacity building to support Africa’s long-term development agenda.

Both parties agreed that the next phase of China–Africa cooperation should move beyond dialogue to structured implementation, guided by clear workplans and measurable outcomes. They underscored the importance of practical cooperation and effective delivery as global economic and geopolitical uncertainty continues to intensify.

The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of AUDA-NEPAD and China to partnerships grounded in mutual respect, shared ambition and tangible development impact across the African continent.