The global stage witnessed a significant shift towards the Global South as the 20th G20 Summit concluded in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 23, 2025. This historic gathering, the first leaders' summit held on African soil since the G20's formation, produced a pivotal development: the launch of the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernisation in Africa, a joint effort by China and South Africa.
A Blueprint for Shared Modernisation
This new initiative marks a powerful call for upholding multilateralism and collaboratively building a path to modernisation. It aligns directly with the six modernisations proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2024. The framework is built on six core principles and focuses on six major areas of cooperation, aiming to address the fundamental needs of developing nations.
The initiative outlines a comprehensive vision. It champions justice and equitability as universal goals, advocating for the exchange of governance experiences to find modernisation paths suited to each country's unique conditions. It identifies openness and win-win cooperation as the essential pathway, calling for deeper collaboration across all fields and joint implementation of the Global Development Initiative.
Furthermore, it places people-centered development at its core, focusing on enhancing citizens' well-being. It promotes diversity and inclusiveness among civilisations, emphasises sustainable development through green growth, and underscores peace and security as vital safeguards, upholding the principle of African solutions to African problems.
Practical Steps for Africa's Development
Moving beyond rhetoric, the summit and the initiative focused on actionable measures to propel Africa's progress. A key outcome was a political commitment to address the debt distress of low and middle-income African nations, promising systematic approaches to alleviate this burden.
The plan also seeks to leverage Africa's vast mineral resources. By strengthening international cooperation on green infrastructure and green mining, it aims to increase the value-added of African mineral products. This strategy is designed to help African nations better integrate into global industrial and supply chains, allowing them to reap more benefits from economic globalisation.
Boosting indigenous technological capability forms the third pillar. The initiative promises increased support for technology transfer and capacity building in Africa, with approaches tailored to each country's specific needs to foster self-driven development.
Nigeria-China Partnership: A Model of Cooperation
The deepening China-Africa partnership has a strong Nigerian dimension. According to Consul General YAN Yuqing, China has reached an important consensus with Nigeria on building a bilateral community with a shared future. This collaboration is already bearing fruit through concrete projects.
Under the framework of the Ten Major Partnership Initiatives, numerous "small and beautiful" projects have been implemented, delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians. Platforms like Confucius Institutes and Lu Ban Workshops foster cultural and technical exchange.
Major infrastructure projects stand as testaments to this partnership. The Lekki Deep Sea Port has set a new benchmark for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, while the ongoing Lagos Light Rail Red and Blue Line projects are facilitating greener commutes for residents of Nigeria's commercial capital. With complementary economic structures and immense populations, both countries are poised to explore further cooperation in infrastructure, the digital economy, and agricultural modernisation.
The Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernisation in Africa has charted a clear blueprint. As China and Africa walk hand-in-hand on this broad path, their united efforts, supported by the international community, aim to transform this vision into a more just, inclusive, and sustainable reality for the Global South.
