(this is part 4 of a -part 7series, see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7 here)

On 27 March 2019, the Africa Practice at Specht & Partner co-organized the Ambassadors Breakfast meeting on “Africa China Europe with focus on One Belt, One Road (OBOR)”.

The Breakfast meeting was co-organized with the Austrian Chinese Business Association (ACBA) and Society Magazin. Our panelists included H. E. Mrs Faouzia Mebarki, Ambassador of Algeria, H.E Mr Li Xiosi Ambassador of the Republic of China, H.E. Mrs Vivian Nwunaku Rose Okeke Ambassador of Nigeria, Mr M. Elyes Lakhal, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Tunisia, Univ. Prof Dr, Adams Bodomo, and Mr DI Omar Al-Rawi member of the Local Council of Vienna, and Chairman of the Strabag Works Council. The meeting was well attended by members of the corporate, diplomatic, and NGO community interested in the OBOR project.

The Panel Discussion

H.E. Ambassador Vivian Nwunaku Rose Okeke is the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovakia and Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna. Prior to her appointment, H.E. Mrs. Vivian Okeke was the Director of America and Caribbean Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja. She holds a B.Sc. in International studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, as well as an M.Sc. in Political Science from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Talk of H.E. Ambassador Ms. Vivian Okeke at the Ambassadors Breakfast meeting – Africa China Europe with focus on One Belt, One Road

Ambassador Okeke, stated that the Africa China relationship is based on trade and cultural exchange which long predates the OBOR initiative. Currently China is Africa’s biggest trading partner and as such Africa is set to benefit even further from the initiative. Ambassador Okeke explained that Africa’s partnership with China and with the rest of the world requires efforts to enhance industrial productive capacity through technological innovations, infrastructure, financing for SMEs, entrepreneurship and transfer of know-how and skills. As the last economic frontier, the future development of Africa will be Africa-centered, and based on equal partnership and mutual benefit with China and the rest of the world.

To learn more about the Ambassadors Breakfast meeting – Africa China Europe with focus on One Belt, One Road, please visit the other articles in our series:

Part 1: Dr. Leopold Specht’s remarks on the One Belt, One Road initiative

Part 2: The Chinese Ambassador to Austria, the Honorable Li Xiosi’s remarks on the One Belt, One Road initiative

Part 3: Professor Adams Bodomo of Ghana, Director of the Global African Diaspora Studies (GADS) Research Center at the University of Vienna, Austria, Chair of African Studies (Languages and Literature)

Part 4: H.E. Ambassador Vivian Nwunaku Rose Okeke is the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovakia and Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna (current page)

Part 5: H.E. Ambassador Faouzia Mebarki, Permanent Representative of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the United Nations (Vienna)

Part 6: Minister Counselor Elyes Lakhal is the Economic & Political Counselor at the Embassy of Republic of Tunisia to Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia in Vienna

Part 7: DI Omar Al-Rawi, member of the Socialist Party of Austria