Chinese ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping says the country will be supporting local people during the 2026 China-Africa activities celebration under the theme 'Year of People-to-People Exchanges'.

At the briefing on Thursday Zhao said China-Africa is an important initiative agreed upon by China president Xi Jinping and African leaders in September 2024 at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at Beijing.

About 58 key activities have already been released, with many set to take place in China and others in various African countries, Zhao said.

"China is going to help local people and has been doing that over the years now, but this year is even more meaningful in terms of providing support to people in need as part of this initiative," he said.

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He said part of the activities will include incubator programmes such as agriculture training, among others.

The initiative focuses on a broad, multi-faceted strategy aimed at strengthening economic, political, and social ties between China and African nations.

It focuses on infrastructure development, trade, and investment, making China Africa's largest trading partner.

Key aspects include technology transfer, green energy partnerships, and the fostering of educational and cultural exchanges.

Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (Alan) president Samuel !Oë-Amseb says the move by China is not only political but practical, as Namibians will experience the impact of international cooperation.

"As Alan we appreciate China's long standing support to Namibia including food and training opportunities exchanges," he says.

He adds that such cooperation will help regional and local authorities when it comes to urban planning.