A Master’s Degree defence on the topic held in the International Relations Institute on February 26, 2016.
A Master’s Degree dissertation on the topic, “Diplomatic Relations Between China and African Francophone States Since The Creation Of The Forum On Sino-African Cooperation: Challenges and Perspectives,” was defended by Paul Bernard Noah on February 26, 2016 at the International Relations Institute, IRIC, Yaounde. The jury was made up of Professor Laurent Zang, Head of Department of Diplomacy, as President, Dr. Stéphane Ngwanza, Assistant Director, IRIC as Rapporteur and Dr. Remy Mbida, IRIC lecturer as Examiner.
The topic was presented as a contribution to understanding new challenges in relations between China and Africa and more particularly with the Francophone Africa. According to Paul Bernard Noah, the 15-year-old Sino-African Forum has significantly and particularly contributed to the transformation of the multilateral Sino-African-Francophone landscape. It has also seen the growth of relations of cooperation in the new global development, according to the former Chinese President, Hu Jintao.
Paul Bernard Noah said 30 years after the beginning of reforms, the presence of China in Francophone Africa has become dynamic, sophisticated and multidimensional. According to him, after the failure of several decades of cooperation with the Western world, Sino-African partnership is a moment of historic evaluation and decision in which Francophone countries in the continent can better adapt to their urgent needs while taking into consideration their relations with external development partners.
He further stressed that China occupies a place in the vision of African Francophone states which are aspiring for a better future. Even though combated and criticised by the Western world or competed by other emergent nations, the new diplomatic strategy proposed by Peking can in spite of everything bring added value to Francophone African countries.
The jury observed that the candidate had an original approach to cooperation between China and Francophone African countries. The defence took place in the presence of some top international personalities such as the former German Ambassador to Cameroon Reinhard Buchholz, a delegation from the University of Lyon led by Professor Thurpin, a Chinese delegation and guests.
