Overview  

South‐South collaboration is playing an increasingly central role in global development,  and cooperation on health is fundamental to the strategic relationship between China and Africa. The 5th International Roundtable on China‐Africa Health Collaboration will be  an  important forum to explore enhanced cooperation among Chinese, African and international actors , and outcomes from the Roundtable will  be presented for ministerial‐level discussions on China‐Africa health cooperation later this year.  

The Roundtable will be held from March 26-28, 2015 at Tsinghua University in Beijing.  The event will be co-hosted by Tsinghua University and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE). The Roundtable will bring together approximately 200 participants, including senior government officials from China and African countries, representatives from the African Union, the United Nations, international development agencies, NGOs, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industries of China and Africa.

The theme of the Roundtable is Contributing to Universal Health Coverage, Expanding Access to Essential Medicines. Partners will also share lessons learned from the fight against Ebola.  

Strategic Importance of the Roundtable 

Expected Outcomes: The Roundtable is expected to identify shared priorities ahead of the 2nd Ministerial Forum on China-Africa Health Development, part of the 6th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will be held later in 2015 and will convene ministerial delegations from China and Africa on a range of development cooperation issues including health.

Specifically, the Roundtable aims to:

• Make policy recommendations that highlights key areas of commitments, innovative and practical solutions, and recommendations for future China-Africa health collaboration
• Identify key African and international partners for potential joint projects to be incorporated at FOCAC 2015
• Establish a platform for in-depth dialogue between Chinese and African pharmaceutical companies

Informing Chinese Aid Policy : The Chinese government is  currently developing  its aid policy toward Africa for the next 5‐10 years, in which it is expected to prioritize health. The Roundtable will be  an integral channel for high ‐level consultation between China and Africa on  specific health issues that should be a centerpiece of China’s aid to Africa .

The Chinese government has outlined four core organizing principles for China-Africa collaboration: 

1. Treat each other with full sincerity and as complete equals
2. Enhance solidarity and mutual trust
3. Jointly pursue inclusive development
4. Innovate on practical cooperation

About the Roundtable

 History: The last International Roundtable on China‐Africa Health Cooperation was held in Gaborone, Botswana, in May 2013. Discussions focused on how Africa‐China cooperation could be strengthened in reproductive health, maternal and child health, malaria, schistosomiasis, immunization an d vaccine programs and HIV/AIDS. The outcome of this meeting contributed to the first Beijing Declaration  of the Ministerial Forum of China‐Africa Health Development , ratified under FOCAC  in August 2013.

2015 Agenda: The March 2015 Roundtable will provide a forum for discussion of a number of key areas for potential China-Africa collaboration.  There will be an interactive mix of presentations, keynote speeches, comments and side meetings. The topics have been identified by the organizers as areas of great mutual interest in which all parties can effectively collaborate and learn from one another.

Topics will include:

• The Road to Universal Health Coverage : Experience from China and Africa in strengthening service delivery capacity and the role of essential medical commodities 
• Expanding Access to Essential Medicines : Identifying the challenges and opportunities to expanding access, including trade, manufacturing, technology transfer, safety and efficacy 
• Health as a Catalyzer for Development : Using assistance and South ‐South collaboration to leverage and catalyze innovation in health finance in the expansion of service delivery 
• The Contribution of Traditional Medicines to UHC : Challenges and opportunities for the management of herbal resources, production and regulation 
• Engaging Private Sector to Achieve UHC : Opportunities for Chinese pharmaceutical companies to invest in the African pharmaceutical industry and supply health commodities to Africa by sustainable local production 

Participants: The Roundtable will bring together approximately 200 participants from China, Africa and international organizations.  Participants from Chinese government agencies include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), National Commission of Health and Family Planning (NHFPC), China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), and State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM).  African participants will include representation from African Union and professional organizations. Participants from international organizations, including WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA, USAID, the Global Fund, MSF, Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will also join the Roundtable. 

Organizers: Tsinghua University and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE) will jointly act as organizers. A China Task Force is also established to synergize preparatory effort for the Roundtable that   includes representation from international organizations including the WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, DFID, UNIDO, USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the Chinese government (MOFCOM and NHFPC), the Ethiopian Embassy and the South Africa Embassy in Beijing.