Beijing, China, SONNA – The Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN), a platform for international academic exchange and cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), held its plenary meeting in Beijing on October 17, 2023.
The meeting consisted of four sessions, each focusing on a different theme related to the BRI. The fourth session, which concluded the meeting, looked into the new domains of cooperation under the BRI: health, green, digital, and innovation.
The fourth session featured keynote speeches by experts and scholars from China and abroad, who shared their insights and suggestions on how to enhance cooperation in these new areas.
One of the speakers at the fourth session was Abdirahman Mohamed (Kanava), the Chief Editor of Somali National News Agency (SONNA), who spoke about the opportunities for Somalia to transform its agricultural sector through collaboration with China under the BRI.
He stated that “Somalia’s agricultural challenges are not unique. They are similar to the problems of many countries trying to use their farming sectors well. It is in this situation that we are here today to explore the transformative power of collaboration with China, a nation that has done very well in modern agriculture, and is a driving force behind the Belt and Road Initiative.”
He also shared his views on the benefits of the BRI for Somalia and other participating countries, such as infrastructure development, poverty reduction, peace and stability, and cultural diversity.
The plenary meeting of the BRSN was held ahead of the summit of the BRI, which will commence tomorrow in Beijing. The summit is expected to gather leaders and representatives from over 90 countries and international organizations to discuss the future direction and cooperation of the BRI.
