The special challenges and growth needs Africa faces should be given priority of attention in formulation of the post-2015 development agenda, a Chinese envoy to the United Nations said Friday.

Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the remark at a plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly on African development and security. "Peace and development in Africa have entered a new critical stage," said Wang, noting that much headway has been made in the implementation of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a strategic framework adopted by African leaders in 2001 to address poverty and underdevelopment throughout the African continent.

At the beginning of the second decade of NEPAD, the international community should continue to increase attention to and engagement in Africa to achieve greater progress in the implementation of the NEPAD and to advance stability and prosperity in Africa, Wang said.

"Africa should feature more prominently on the post-2015 development agenda,"reiterated Wang. "The international community should continue to help Africa in accelerating the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals."

Wang also stressed the importance of working to ensure that the new UN development agenda would be in line with the priority areas of NEPAD, with the focus placed on poverty eradication and promoting overall development of Africa.

While urging the international community to scale up assistance to Africa, Wang said: "The international community should recognize the reality of Africa, respect the will of African countries, and support them in handling their affairs by themselves."

Wang said that African countries' endeavor to realize peace and stability should be supported.

"Since the establishment of the new China-Africa strategic partnership, we have deepened our relationship with African countries and regional organizations like the African Union,"said Wang,

"China actively supports African integration and has steadily stepped up its support for NEPAD."

Statistics show that trade between China and Africa approached 200 billion US dollars last year and China's accumulated direct investment in Africa had topped 15 billion dollars by the same year.



This year marks the 50th anniversary of China sending medical teams to Africa. Over the past 50 years, China has dispatched to Africa 18,000 medical personnel who have treated 250 million patients.

During his visit to Africa in March, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a series of new initiatives to support Africa's development, including providing a line of credit of 20 billion U. S. dollars to Africa to support development across the continent in three years.

In the next three years, China will train 30,000 professionals in various fields for African nations, provide 18,000 scholarships to African students and increasing technology transfers to Africa.

China takes an active part in UN peacekeeping operations in Africa and currently, 1,400 Chinese troops have been serving in six UN peacekeeping missions on the African continent, said Wang, who added that China is willing to join hands with the African countries in expanding and expanding cooperation in all areas, with an aim of achieving win-win deal for all sides concerned.