Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: what it means for health

Investment in health is an essential component of the FOCAC. Whereas some laud China’s investment strategy, others deplore that gains to health are hard to track. Andrew Green reports. At this year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Beijing pledged to build on previous commitments to improve health care on the continent, including promises to upgrade medical facilities, to invest in the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and to train medical specialists. However, with the China’s investments in Africa plateauing this year, experts said they did not anticipate a dramatic expansion of health projects. Beijing announced US$60 billion in financial support to Africa at this month’s FOCAC, including $15 billion in aid and $10 billion that the Chinese Government will encourage private industry to invest. The 2018 total matches that of 2015, although the previous amount included only government investments.

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