On November 4, 2026, the 3rd China Africa Energy Cooperation Project Promotion Conference kicked off in Yueyang, Hunan. This conference, jointly hosted by the National Energy Administration of China, the People's Government of Hunan Province, and the African Union Commission, with the theme of building a China Africa green energy partnership, is the first to go beyond Beijing and land in the region. From macro initiatives to local practices, China Africa energy cooperation is finding a new landing point in Yueyang.

The recommendation mechanism is out of Beijing for the first time

This is the first time that the promotion mechanism of China Africa energy cooperation projects has gone out of Beijing and landed in Beijing, aiming to implement the outcomes of the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and deepen China Africa energy practical cooperation. The person in charge of the People's Government of Yueyang City made a special promotion, introducing the local industrial foundation and external cooperation advantages in the fields of new energy equipment manufacturing, energy storage materials, green chemicals, etc. The People's Government of Yueyang City, the Water Resources Planning and Design Institute, and the African Union Development Agency jointly signed a memorandum of understanding on deepening energy cooperation between China and Africa, taking a solid step from macro initiatives to local practices and specific project implementation. Choosing Yueyang as the host city not only recognizes Hunan's manufacturing capabilities in the new energy industry chain, but also hopes to introduce China Africa energy cooperation from policy dialogue to project docking through local carriers.

Multiple achievements are released in a concentrated manner

During the promotion conference, several landmark achievements such as the China Africa Renewable Energy Cooperation Report 2026 and the China Africa Green Energy Cooperation Yueyang Initiative were released. The reporting system has sorted out the current situation, opportunities, and challenges of China Africa renewable energy cooperation, providing data support and policy references for the next stage of cooperation; The Yueyang Initiative proposes action directions around the green energy partnership, calling on both sides to strengthen collaboration in technology, capital, standards, and other aspects. From the report to the initiative, from the memorandum to the project docking, the promotion meeting has built a complete chain from strategic dialogue to practical cooperation for all parties attending, and also provided an operable framework for subsequent project screening and implementation. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, energy cooperation, international

Three discussions to consolidate consensus

The conference will hold three parallel thematic seminars simultaneously, focusing on policy docking and cooperation guarantee for China Africa energy cooperation, new energy technology cooperation and capacity building, and financial empowerment. Chinese and foreign guests engaged in in-depth dialogue on topics such as strategic alignment, legal protection, cross-border power grid interconnection, diversified financing, mutual recognition of technical standards, capacity building, and the implementation of inclusive energy, to consolidate policy consensus and explore cooperation paths. The policy docking session discussed how to lower the threshold for cross-border cooperation through institutional arrangements, the technology cooperation session focused on the adaptation of new energy equipment and the cultivation of localized talents, and the financial empowerment session focused on project financing models, risk sharing mechanisms, and the participation of multilateral development institutions. From policy to technology to finance, the three seminars covered key aspects of China Africa green energy cooperation and provided a platform for practical communication between enterprises and institutions.Editor/Gao Xue