The Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa Leading Cadres Workshop 2023 kicked off at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School on June 8, 2023. A total of 150 young cadres from six parties in southern Africa and 22 cadres from Uganda’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) were present. The participants expressed their willingness to deepen their understanding and grasp of Chinese modernization. They hoped to apply the knowledge gained during the workshop to their respective countries' development, contributing their youthful energy to further strengthening cooperation between Africa and China.  

"Youth is always accompanied by dreams. I hope you will make the best of what you have learned, keep working hard and embrace your youthful ambitions on the journey to realize the dream of national rejuvenation and African rejuvenation," read a letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School held a seminar for middle-aged and young cadres of the six parties in southern Africa from late May to early June 2022. After the seminar, all participants came together to draft a letter addressed to General Secretary Xi Jinping, conveying their unwavering commitment to upholding the China-Africa friendship and further enhancing China-Africa cooperation. Soon after, they received a heartfelt response from General Secretary Xi Jinping. During this year's opening ceremony, Marcelina Chijoriga, principal of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School led all the participants in revisiting General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply from the previous year.  

Chijoriga noted that they are grateful for the support from General Secretary Xi Jinping to the six parties of southern Africa. The school is confident in nurturing more leaders with strategic vision and broad-mindedness. China has always been committed to assisting African countries in actively exploring paths to development and revitalization. The CPC is willing to enhance exchanges with the six parties of southern Africa through platforms like the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School, sharing relevant experience and practices with our young cadres, and providing valuable insights to address development challenges in southern Africa, he said.  

Eugénio Alberto Ubisse, head of external relations department of the Frelimo Central Committee, said that he fully agreed with General Secretary Xi Jinping's statement that China and Africa are a community with a shared future. The enduring friendship between the Chinese and African people rests on the shoulders of the younger generation. We believe that the youth will play a pivotal role in driving national and social development in Mozambique, he noted. He also hoped all participants would derive great benefits from this workshop.  

Jacob Eyeru, chairperson of NRM National Youth council, said under the leadership of the CPC, China has achieved remarkable success in its pursuit of modernization. He further emphasized that China actively shares its development experience with African countries while advancing its own progress. China's successful experience teaches us that there is no one-size-fits-all model, and each country must chart its own development path based on its unique national circumstances. Currently, the African continent still faces numerous challenges, and we aspire to strengthen exchanges with China through this workshop to learn and comprehend China's experience of modernization, and to contribute to Africa's own modernization journey, he said.  

Shihwameni Shikongo Herbert from SWAPO Party of Namibia said, General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that the ultimate goal of modernization is to ensure the free and comprehensive development of individuals. The key to the success and stability of the modernization path lies in prioritizing the people first. This important statement has provided us with valuable insights. He expressed that SWAPO Party is dedicated to leading Namibian people in implementing development plans and driving key infrastructure projects, which have resulted in a series of achievements. China has always been a crucial partner for Namibia, particularly in areas such as human resource development, infrastructure construction, and information and communication technology, where China has provided significant support. He also expected to further deepen Africa-China comprehensive strategic partnership and expand the cooperation between Africa and China.  

In April 2023, a delegation of members of a workshop of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi National Executive Committee led by Daniel Chongolo, Secretary General of Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi Party, visited China. Calling China a reliable friend to the African people, Chongolo said Tanzania is eager to learn from China's experience in achieving modernization. He shared his observations from various parts of China and his understanding of Chinese modernization during the workshop. Thanks to the assistance and support of the CPC, we have the opportunity to train our young leaders, broaden their horizons, and contribute to Africa's modernization process more effectively, he said.   

China, based on Africa-China friendly cooperation, has always been committed to sharing the valuable experience with African countries and actively assisting southern African nations in exploring development paths that suit their own national conditions, said João Diogo Gaspar, a politburo member of the Central Committee of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and a member of the National Assembly of Angola, adding that the CPC has been dedicated to fostering exchanges and cooperation with African political parties, thereby promoting the establishment of a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa. This has made significant contributions to the promotion of peace, progress, and the well-being of the people. The MPLA highly values its relationship with the CPC. China has consistently been Angola's top priority partner. The deepening cooperation between the two nations has provided crucial support for Angola in achieving its economic growth objectives. The Angola-China partnership serves as a shining example of successful international cooperation for Angola, he added.  

The CPC has consistently extended full support for the training of cadres from the six parties in southern Africa, said Douglas Mombeshora, a member of the Political Bureau of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Central Committee. He highlighted that our friendship with the CPC dates back to the 1960s. Zimbabwe's independence would not have been possible without the support of various parties, including China. In this new era, Zimbabwe-China cooperation continues to deepen, encompassing areas such as infrastructure development, agricultural mechanization, and the acceleration of projects that improve people's livelihoods. We are grateful to China for its assistance in promoting economic growth and enhancing the well-being of African nations. Chinese modernization serves as an excellent demonstration, he noted.