On September 19, 2024, the 2024 Senior Workshop on Disaster Management for African Countries, hosted by the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) of China, was held in Beijing. Xu Jia'ai, Vice Minister of MEM, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Xu Jia'ai said that this workshop is both a follow-up action to implement the consensus reached between the heads of state at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and a concrete step to advance the 14 cooperative measures for Belt and Road international cooperation in disaster risk reduction and emergency management. China and African countries have long faced the threat of natural disasters, and the disaster management authorities from both sides have consistently supported each other in combating these challenges and strengthening Belt and Road cooperation. China is ready to work with African countries to further build consensus in emergency management, jointly improve the Belt and Road cooperation framework, deepen practical cooperation in related projects, enhance exchanges in emergency management, and forge a path of shared development. 

Before the opening ceremony, Xu Jia'ai met with Luisa Celma Caetano Meque, President of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction of Mozambique, who is attending the workshop. The two officials had an in-depth exchange of views on strengthening cooperation in disaster risk reduction and mitigation, work safety and emergency rescue.

The workshop will last for 10 days with 22 government officials from disaster management departments across nine African countries including Algeria, Cameroon, Comoros, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Senegal.