On August 29, the Chinese Embassy in Dakar hosted an event marking the first anniversary of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit’s implementation.
The gathering brought together nearly 100 participants, including senior government officials, ruling party representatives, and key scholars. The consensus: China-Senegal ties are stronger than ever, yielding both practical outcomes and deepened mutual trust.
Mabouba Diagne, Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, stated that over the past year, both countries have effectively turned summit-level consensus into tangible benefits for the Senegalese people. He reaffirmed Senegal’s unwavering support for the One-China principle and praised China’s principled stance on global affairs. “Senegal stands ready to deepen cooperation with China,” he said, envisioning a shared-future community between the two nations.
Ayib Daffe, Secretary-General of the ruling party (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity), highlighted the value of China’s governance experience as a source of inspiration for Senegal’s modernization path. He emphasized his party’s eagerness to intensify exchange with Chinese counterparts to further bilateral political and developmental ties.
Cathy Diagne Thioye, Director for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at Senegal’s Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, lauded FOCAC as an exemplary framework for South-South cooperation. She called for ongoing collaboration to sustain and accelerate the implementation of high-priority projects under the FOCAC banner.
Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang praised the strong strides made over the past year: “China and Senegal have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, fostered deeper political trust, advanced economic collaboration, and strengthened cultural and people-to-people exchanges.” He noted that the joint pursuit of modernization by China and Senegal sets a valuable precedent for Africa and the broader Global South.
This event commemorated a year of implementation and also highlighted the continuity and trust underpinning Sino-Senegalese relations. The reaffirmation of the One-China principle and shared values underscores political alignment at the highest level.
