South-South cooperation between China and Africa continues to gain momentum – delivering tangible benefits to communities across the continent. Recent events in Changsha and Guangzhou highlighted growing collaboration between African institutions, Chinese partners and international organizations, made possible through the Global South-South Development Center (GSSDC) project, supported by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the Government of China.
At the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), held in Changsha from 12–15 June 2025, a dedicated exhibition on “China-Africa South-South Cooperation” showcased impactful initiatives supported by the GSSDC project. Just days later, over 150 stakeholders gathered in Guangzhou for the Fifth Seminar on China-Africa Rice Value Chain Cooperation, where partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing food systems through technology transfer, capacity building, and cross-regional learning.
Global South-South Development Center Spotlighted at 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo
The Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), held from 12 to 15 June in Changsha, Hunan Province, prominently featured a special exhibition on “China-Africa South-South Cooperation” organized by the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) – a member of the China South-South Cooperation Network (CSSCN).
The exhibition showcased a range of South-South cooperation initiatives and small grants carried out by Chinese and African institutions under the Global South-South Development Center (GSSDC) project, supported by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE).
Established under the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), CAETE has evolved into a premier national platform for promoting China-Africa economic and trade ties. The biennial event plays a central role in advancing FOCAC’s trade and development priorities and increasingly fosters collaboration between African partners and various Chinese provinces and cities.
China-Africa Rice Value Chain Cooperation Seminar Concludes in Guangzhou
The Fifth Seminar on China-Africa Rice Value Chain Cooperation, alongside the West Africa Rice Value Chain Project Review Conference, concluded successfully in Guangzhou from June 17 to 19, convening over 150 stakeholders from governments, international organizations, research institutions, the private sector, and civil society.
The event was co-organized by the World Food Programme (WFP) Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation in China, UNOSSC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and the Department of International Cooperation of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NAFRA) of China.
Held under the theme “Paddy for Prosperity: Creating a New Chapter for Sustainable Development of China-Africa Rice Value Chain Cooperation,” the seminar served as a dynamic platform for forward-looking dialogue on transforming food systems and enhancing sustainable agricultural development across the continent. The seminar concluded with a renewed commitment from partners to scale up cooperation and innovation in agricultural development through the China-Africa partnership.
A key focus of the seminar was to review the 2nd phase of the West Africa Rice Value Chain Project, funded by the Gates Foundation. Building on the foundation of the Pilot phase with support from the UNOSSC GSSDC Project, the 2nd phase was scaled up and rolled out in another 10 communities across Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, directly benefiting over 2,000 farming households. Evaluation findings showed that the introduction of improved seeds, fertilizers, and small agricultural tools led to a 20-40% increase in rice yields. Post-harvest losses dropped from 30% to 15%, while farmer incomes rose by around 30%.
The 2nd phase also demonstrated significant gains in promoting gender equality. In Côte d’Ivoire, 98% of participating women engaged actively in project activities, with more than half taking leadership roles in household decision-making and post-harvest processing and storage operations. Furthermore, capacity building activities – including 10 training sessions, 9 instructional videos, and exchange visits to China for over 20 local stakeholders – contributed to building a pipeline of agricultural technical talent to sustain future sector development.
GSSDC is a flagship initiative of UNOSSC, funded by the Government of China, under the framework of the UN Fund for South-South Cooperation (UNFSSC). It was launched in 2009 in partnership with CICETE. The GSSDC Phase II (2025-2030) seeks to leverage the technical expertise and resources of the China South-South Cooperation Network (CSSCN) to advance practical and technological cooperation, capacity development, knowledge exchange and network-building, while promoting South-South and triangular cooperation among cities and sub-national entities globally.
The event was co-organized by the World Food Programme (WFP) Centre of Excellence for Rural Transformation in China, UNOSSC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and the Department of International Cooperation of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NAFRA) of China.
Held under the theme “Paddy for Prosperity: Creating a New Chapter for Sustainable Development of China-Africa Rice Value Chain Cooperation,” the seminar served as a dynamic platform for forward-looking dialogue on transforming food systems and enhancing sustainable agricultural development across the continent. The seminar concluded with a renewed commitment from partners to scale up cooperation and innovation in agricultural development through the China-Africa partnership.
A key focus of the seminar was to review the 2nd phase of the West Africa Rice Value Chain Project, funded by the Gates Foundation. Building on the foundation of the Pilot phase with support from the UNOSSC GSSDC Project, the 2nd phase was scaled up and rolled out in another 10 communities across Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, directly benefiting over 2,000 farming households. Evaluation findings showed that the introduction of improved seeds, fertilizers, and small agricultural tools led to a 20-40% increase in rice yields. Post-harvest losses dropped from 30% to 15%, while farmer incomes rose by around 30%.
The 2nd phase also demonstrated significant gains in promoting gender equality. In Côte d’Ivoire, 98% of participating women engaged actively in project activities, with more than half taking leadership roles in household decision-making and post-harvest processing and storage operations. Furthermore, capacity building activities – including 10 training sessions, 9 instructional videos, and exchange visits to China for over 20 local stakeholders – contributed to building a pipeline of agricultural technical talent to sustain future sector development.
GSSDC is a flagship initiative of UNOSSC, funded by the Government of China, under the framework of the UN Fund for South-South Cooperation (UNFSSC). It was launched in 2009 in partnership with CICETE. The GSSDC Phase II (2025-2030) seeks to leverage the technical expertise and resources of the China South-South Cooperation Network (CSSCN) to advance practical and technological cooperation, capacity development, knowledge exchange and network-building, while promoting South-South and triangular cooperation among cities and sub-national entities globally.
