Photography exhibition in Nairobi highlights China-Africa cooperation under BRI

People visit the Photography Exhibition on Pragmatic China-Africa Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 22nd, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

NAIROBI, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A photography exhibition highlighting the achievements of China-Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was inaugurated on Friday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Organized by the China Economic Information Service, Xinhua News Agency African Regional Bureau, Belt and Road Portal and China Communications Construction Company Limited, the exhibition will take place at the Nairobi terminus of the Chinese-funded Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) for a month, featuring more than 30 photographs showcasing outcomes of China-Africa cooperation.

Themed "Even mountains and oceans cannot distance people with common aspirations," the exhibition aims to showcase the benefits of China-Africa cooperation across various sectors. It vividly depicts the positive impact of this collaboration within the BRI framework on the lives of local citizens.

Xu Jianping, director-general of the Department of Regional Opening-up at the National Development and Reform Commission of China, speaks during the opening ceremony of the Photography Exhibition on Pragmatic China-Africa Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 22nd, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Dignitaries attending the exhibition launch included Xu Jianping, director-general of the Department of Regional Opening-up at the National Development and Reform Commission of China, senior Kenyan officials, scholars and executives from the SGR operator. Xu praised the practical cooperation between China and Africa, particularly in infrastructure construction, talent development and the health sector.

The cooperation has played a significant role in fostering people-to-people exchanges, promoting enterprise growth and contributing to the economies of both China and African countries, he said.

Noting that the successful cooperation under the BRI has become a model for South-South cooperation, Xu said China is willing to work with countries in Africa to gradually turn the needs of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative into reality through the joint efforts of governments, enterprises and people from all walks of life.

Philip Mainga, managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, speaks during the opening ceremony of the Photography Exhibition on Pragmatic China-Africa Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 22nd, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Philip Mainga, managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, said the photo exhibition will showcase China's contribution to Kenya's economic modernization.

"The BRI has transformed Kenya and the African continent," Mainga said, pointing to Chinese-built infrastructure projects that have enhanced connectivity and injected vitality into the local economy. "The BRI has been a successful project in Kenya. We have witnessed great improvement in our infrastructure through the BRI, boosting connectivity in our towns and villages," he said.

Wang Lijun, president of the China Road and Bridge Corporation, speaks during the opening ceremony of the Photography Exhibition on Pragmatic China-Africa Cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 22nd, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Wang Lijun, president of the China Road and Bridge Corporation, said that investments in modern infrastructure projects in Africa have revitalized Sino-Africa friendship and sustainable development on the continent.