UNICEF representative highlights China's role in advancing child well-being, eyes deeper cooperation

CHANGSHA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to China, Amakobe Sande, has praised the country's tangible contributions to improving the well-being of children in the Global South and expressed hope for strengthened cooperation in this area.

China has supported UNICEF's projects in 16 African countries since 2018, including maternal and child health programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Zimbabwe, along with cyclone response efforts in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, Sande said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Concerning the digital divide in Africa, Sande noted that many African countries lack the infrastructure and tools for widespread internet access and digital education, posing challenges for African children. "China can play a key role in addressing this challenge as a global leader in digital technology."

Therefore, UNICEF advocates for the integration of China's renewable energy expertise into basic services that cater to children's needs, considering the essential role of a stable electricity supply in digital education.

"I am happy to see that actions have already been taken to help Africa bridge the digital divide," she added, citing China's role as a champion country for the "Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative," co-managed by UNICEF and UNESCO, in which China provides technical and financial support.

On Friday at the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, UNICEF and the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) signed a memorandum of understanding focused on protecting and promoting children's rights in Africa.

The agreement commits both parties to collaborate on localizing medical supply production and procurement in Africa, expanding renewable energy solutions for healthcare and education facilities, and advancing children's rights within the business operations of CABC's network of over 3,300 member companies and institutions across the continent.

Sande expressed the hope to connect the needs of UNICEF's Africa projects with the member enterprises and institutions of the CABC to bridge the digital education gap in schools.

At the expo, UNICEF also collaborated with the departments of commerce and education of Hunan Province to organize a vocational education cooperation event, exploring ways to enhance digital skills and entrepreneurship among young people in China and Africa.

"UNICEF also facilitates knowledge exchange and technical cooperation between China and other countries in critical areas such as maternal and child health and climate change. This allows countries in the global South to learn from China's expertise on children's issues, and vice versa," Sande concluded. ■