Secretary-General Chen Lu Delivers Speech at the Pre-Departure Training Session for Delegation to Morocco for the 2026 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation (North-Africa)

On April 10, the online pre-departure training session for the Chinese delegation to Morocco, participating in the 2026 Belt & Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation (North-Africa), was successfully convened. Chen Lu, Secretary-General of the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association (SNAEIA), attended the session and delivered a speech. The meeting brought together members of the Chinese delegation, team leaders and academic advisors from participating institutions, including representatives of the organizing committee distinguished experts, translators and technical specialists from partner enterprises. 

In her speech, Chen Lu said, thanks to the success of the previous two competitions which have evolved into a high-level platform for talent and skills exchange across multiple countries and industries in Africa. The inaugural event in 2024 was successfully held in Morocco, attracting nearly 700 teams from both domestic and international participants, demonstrating significant influence and the 2025’s further expanded its scope with the introduction of an “AI Casting Character Recognition” enterprise track, jointly initiated by CITIC Dicastal Co., Ltd. and its North Africa Factory which fully demonstrates the significant achievements of “school-enterprise cooperation and integration of education and industry” in empowering educational exchanges and collaborations between China and Africa.

Chen Lu said, SNAEIA has always been committed to serving the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, supporting the opening-up of national education, and establishing a platform for higher education exchanges and cooperation between China and African countries, particularly between China and North African countries. As the Chinese organizing entity for this competition, we’ll play a crucial role as a bridge, a backbone, a foundational platform, and a friendly envoy. It will focus on organizing and safeguarding the event with the core objective of serving the opening-up of national education and international exchanges and cooperation in higher education. Finally, she urged all members of the delegation to abide by the laws of the host country, respect cultural customs. She encouraged all participants to adhere to the rules of the competition, comply with the decisions of the judges, perform well, showcase the positive spirit of Chinese university students, and act as goodwill ambassadors between China and Africa.

The 2026 Belt&Road and BRICS Competition of Skills Development and Technology Innovation (North Africa) International Finals will be held from April 19 to 26, 2026 in Casablanca, Morocco. The competition will serve as a platform for fostering exchanges and cooperation in the areas of skills development and technological innovation between China and Africa, and will contribute to 2026 CHINA –AFRICA YEAR OF PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES.