During the Beijing summit in 2018, it was agreed that eight key areas would be prioritised between 2019 and 2021. They include infrastructure connectivity, industrial promotion, green development, healthcare initiatives and trade facilitation between China and its African trade partners.

"We are still to meet to make the assessment but certainly from the record that we're seeing of the number of infrastructure projects that are underway on the African continent I think certainly progress is being made," Pandor said on Monday.

"The recent signing between South Africa and a number of businesses in our country and businesses in China of over 93 agreements, signals the impact of a collaboration such as FOCAC so we now need to have a look at exactly what each country is doing in the eight priority areas that were specified and agreed to by our leaders in 2018."

Pandor said while the agreements were in place, she and her counterparts in Senegal and China, who are the coordinating ministers, were determined to ensure FOCAC was not turned into a discussion forum but that the projects agreed to were brought to full fruition. 

African News Agency (ANA)