The 19^th Africa Lecture was held by the China-Africa Institute (CAI) on April 30, 2026, featuring a keynote speech by Professor Busani Ngcaweni, Director of the Centre for Public Policy and African Studies at the University of Johannesburg. Zhou Gongdai, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of the CAI attended the lecture, and Professor Tian Feng, Vice President of the CAI presided over the lecture.

Prof. Busani Ngcaweni is giving a lecture

In his speech titled “Frontiers of National and International Development: Rethinking Governance and Growth in the Global South”, Prof. Busani Ngcaweni noted that the world is undergoing a polycrisis without precedent, leading to a shift of world power. This presents a crucial opportunity for the Global South to reshape the global order. However, some Global South countries are undergoing positive transformation while others remain stagnant. The difference lies in national governance and statecraft. Without effective governance, it is extremely difficult for a country to achieve sustainable development. To realize national and international development, it is essential to reclaim statecraft, cultivate developmental elite, embrace pluriversality, make development as ethic, and remain one with the people. He said, African countries are now stand at a crossroads, and the question is whether Africa will engage as a partner with strategy or as an object of extraction.  

A scene of the 19^th Africa Lecture

During the Question and Answer session, CAI scholars engaged with Prof. Busani on a range of topics, including the challenges faced by the Global South in the changing world; how the Global South and BRICS countries can work together to build a more just and equitable international order; U.S.-South Africa cooperation in rare earth minerals and leveraging technology to enhance governance effectiveness.

Prof. Busani Ngcaweni is having meeting with CAI scholars before the lecture

Before the lecture commenced, Secretary Zhou Gongdai met with Professor Busani. He expressed his thanks to Professor Busani for his support in establishing the Center for China and Africa Studies in South Africa. The center, jointly established by the CAI and the National School of Government (NSG) South Africa, is soon to be officially inaugurated, marking a key step in implementing the instructions by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit. He said, the center will help to strengthen academic and people-to-people exchanges between China and South Africa. Present at the meeting were Prof. Tian Feng; Yang Baorong, Director of the Centre of Southern African Studies (COSAS) at the CAI; Prof. Zhu Weidong; Dr. Shen Xiaolei; Dr. Zhao Yating; Chen Wencheng from the Research Management Division; and Zhang Rao from the International Exchanges Division.