Unveiling of the African Academy of the China–Africa Geoscience Cooperation Center

On March 23, the unveiling ceremony for the African Academy of the China–Africa Geoscience Cooperation Center was held at International Education College, China University of Geosciences (CUG). LI Jinfa, Party Secretary of China Geological Survey; XU Xueyi, Vice Director China Geological Survey; HU Daoyin, Party Secretary and Director of the Hubei Geological Bureau; WEN Feng, Chief Inspector of the Department of Natural Resources of Hubei Province; MAO Xiaochang, Deputy Director of the Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey; WANG Yanxin, CUG President; WANG Lizhe, Vice President of CUG; representatives from relevant departments and units, as well as faculty and students from International Education College, attended the ceremony. WANG Lizhe presided over the ceremony.

LI Jinfa and WANG Yanxin jointly unveiled the plaque for the African Academy

WANG Yanxin delivered a speech. He noted that since President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative with a view toward the future of humanity and the broader development trends of China and the world, high-quality cooperations have advanced steadily and yielded fruitful results. The unveiling of the African Academy has sown new seeds of friendship, development, and “win-win” cooperation, marking a new stage in the collaboration between CUG and China Geological Survey.

He said that many countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative are still in the early stages of the development, utilization, and governance of geological resources and environment, and are therefore in urgent need of professionals in such fields. As one of China’s leading institutions for geoscience education, CUG will continue to prioritize education, respond to the talent demands of Belt and Road development, further integrate its disciplinary strengths with industry characteristics, coordinate resources, leverage platform advantages, expand scientific research areas, and deepen educational exchanges and cooperation. CUG will strengthen the development of the African Academy, support the long-term and stable development of the China–Africa Geoscience Cooperation Center, and continue building a leading hub for geoscience cooperation, research, and talent cultivation.

XU Xueyi delivered a speech. He noted that China Geological Survey and CUG have maintained close cooperation for many years and have made significant achievements together in platform development, geological survey research, talent cultivation, and other fields, setting a model for collaborative education. He said that the official establishment of the China–Africa Geoscience Cooperation Center is an important measure to implement the Dakar Action Plan of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, and that the African Academy, as an important component of the Center, will contribute wisdom and strength to building a China–Africa community with a shared future.

XU expressed his hope that China Geological Survey and CUG would work closely together to develop the African Academy with higher standards, broader vision, and greater openness. He emphasized the importance of cultivating a group of managerial and technical professionals who understand, appreciate, and are friendly toward China, and of building the African Academy into an important platform for scientific, technological, and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and African countries, as well as an internationally influential platform for cooperation. He added that the Academy should continue expanding China’s circle of friends in Africa and make new and greater contributions to advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and building a global community with a shared future.