South Africa-China trade group partners with Africa Oil & Power

The South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association and Africa Oil and Power have entered a new partnership that will introduce Chinese technology, finance and know-how to a range of African projects, while building critical new commercial links within the private and public sectors.

The partnership agreement, which was signed on April 17 will see Africa Oil and Power, one of the continent's leading energy event organizers, join hands with the trade association and share their expertise during energy events across Africa. Africa Oil and Power has planned a number of energy events later in the year, including conferences in Angola, South Africa, South Sudan and Senegal, and hopes the new partnership will facilitate profitable partnerships between Chinese enterprises and African companies and governments.

Speaking during the launch, Wang Wen'an, the association's chairman, said that the group has more than 160 Chinese member companies based in South Africa in the sectors of energy, finance, infrastructure, mining and information and communications technology. Wang said the partnership signed will help bring more investment to the African energy sector and gradually solve the problem of power shortages on the continent.

According to James Chester, Africa Oil and Power acting chief executive, China's impact on the African energy sector has been tremendous but there is more room to grow in electrification, energy infrastructure building and project financing. He said the partnership with the trade association will expand the Africa Oil and Power community with the aim of bringing meaningful investment into African projects.

Chester said Africa Oil and Power events will be an important meeting place and venue for deal-making and strategic discussion on the current state and the future of Africa-China energy relations.

He said Africa Oil and Power will aim to provide dedicated exhibition space for Chinese companies at its future events, set up bilateral meetings between government and the private sector and between companies, and facilitate deals between African and Chinese firms. Its conferences will act as a gateway into African markets for Chinese firms and authorities with a strategic interest in African growth opportunities.