The Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Candith Mashego-Dlamini says the partnership with China on poverty alleviation programs will provide a much needed boost to South Africa’s poverty reduction initiatives particularly in rural areas.
The Deputy Minister was speaking at the opening of the China Poverty Reduction Seminar which takes place from 24 August to 7th September at White River in the Mpumalanga province.
The seminar will include lecturers and site visits to land reform projects in the greater part of Mbombela local municipality and Gert Sibande.
Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini was accompanied by Deputy Director-General for Rural Infrastructure Development: Ms Leona Archary, his excellency ambassador LIN Songtian from Embassy of the People’s Republic of china in South Africa Mr Xu Jianmin, Deputy Director-General: Leading Group on Poverty of the State Council, People’s Republic of China and Deputy Director-General: International Poverty Reduction Center in China Ms Zhang Guangping.
The Deputy Minister described the seminar as ground breaking due to it being the first of its kind in the country. She said the seminar opens a window to South Africans in developing rural areas as well as allowing for South Africa to learn from Chinese expertise.
“We need to confront the challenges of poverty. With the triple challenges facing our country, this seminar will assist with knowledge on mechanism on how we can reduce the poverty levels of our country”, the Deputy Minister said.
Based on China’s best experience on poverty reduction and development, the seminar will also focus on practical problems which African nations face in their development endeavours.
The Deputy Minister said the country’s economy must grow faster and in ways that will benefit all South Africans by the year 2030 as provided for in the National Development Plan. She added that there is a burning need for faster progress, more action and better implementation. “We should all join forces and implement responses to developmental challenges”, concluded the Deputy Minister.
The International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), together with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has actively engaged many multilateral and bilateral development agencies to join in this dialogue process. This helps effective mutual exchange of Chinese and African lessons in poverty reduction and development China has achieved a widely recognized development record, the core of which is its povertyreduction experience.
One of the key pillars of China-Africa development cooperation is agriculture and food security. China’s development approach of lifting Chinese citizens out of poverty and growing its economy is essential to South Africa’s current approach to rural development.
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