(this is part 5 of a 7-part series, see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, 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 Faouzia Mebarki is the Permanent Representative of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the United Nations (Vienna). Ambassador Mebarki holds a Diploma from the Algerian National School of Administration (Diplomatic Section) and a Diploma from the Pedro Gual Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Caracas, Venezuela. Her assignments have included positions as Designated Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia, and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna (2016); Chief of Staff of the Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and League of Arab States (2015); Director of Central and Eastern European Countries (2014); Responsible for relations with the European Parliament at Embassy of Algeria in Brussels (2010); Deputy Consul at the Consulate of Algeria in Bobigny, France (2007); Deputy Director of Information Analysis and Management (2003); Deputy Director of International Social and Cultural Affairs (2001); Deputy Permanent Representative to UNESCO at the Embassy of Algeria in Paris, France (1995).

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

Ambassador Mebarki gave an extensive insight on the roots of and historic partnerships amongst China and its African partners. Along these lines, the ambassador explained China’s support of the struggle for independence from colonial powers of Algeria and other African countries. She mentioned the historic visit of China’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister between December 1963 and February 1964 of ten African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, and Tunisia), which set the tone for a new model of cooperation known as South South cooperation. This new cooperation is based on principles of equality between parties, mutual benefits, respect for sovereignty, reinforcement of benefit sharing, respect for obligations, and equal treatment between Chinese and local exports. These principles, she explained, are at the basis of the OBOR initiatives. She also informed us that a total of 26 African countries including Algeria have voted in the UN General Assembly 27/58 to restore China’s seat at the United Nations. Ambassador Mebarki, further explained the bilateral relationship between Algeria and China and how the latter is the number one trading partner, the number one investor contributing FDI of 2.6 billion USD in 2018 only. It is thus logical for Algeria to join the OBOR initiative.

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

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

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