From November 27, 2023, to December 1, 2023, 2023 International Symposium on West African Studies (5th ISWAS), sponsored by the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), hosted by the Ghana Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Center for West African Studies (CWAS) of UESTC, were successfully held at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).

The theme of 2023 ISWAS was “Promoting Social and Economic Development in West Africa from Digital Economy Transformation and Development Perspective”. The symposium combined online and offline meetings. The main venues are located at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra and The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Kumasi.

A total of more than 60 experts and scholars participated in the symposium which attracted more than 800 online and offline domestic and foreign researchers and young scholars to listen.

On the evening of November 27, 5th ISWAS held a Welcome Reception at the Tang Palace Hotel in Ghana. Prof. SAMUL KWAKU BONSU, Rector of GIMPA, and Prof. Zhao Shurong, Professor of the School of Public Administration and director of CWAS of UESTC delivered speeches on behalf of the symposium organizers. Prof. Li Xinfeng, Executive Director of the Institute of West Asian and African Studies,
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Prof. Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice President of AAMUSTED; Mr. Edward Akwasi Boateng, Director- General of State Interests and Governance Authority of Ghana; Prof. Zhang Zhenke, Professor of the Institute of African Studies, Nanjing University delivered speeches, wishing the symposium a complete success.

At the Welcome Reception, the launch and promotion conference of the new book "The Chinese E-business Journey into AfCFTA——Evidence from Sichuan Province" published by The China Social Sciences Press was successfully held.

On the morning of November 28, the opening ceremony of the 5th ISWAS was held. Attendees and speakers included Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA); Li Xinfeng, Executive President of China-Africa Institute and Director-General of Institute of West-Asian and
African Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice-Chancellor of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED); Edward Akwasi Boateng, Director-General of State Interests and Governance Authority of Ghana; Zhang Zhenke, Chairman of Chinese Research Society of African Affairs (CRSAA), Professor of the Institute of African Studies, Nanjing University; Jiang Xiaoping, Chairman of Professors’
Committee in School of Public Administration，Executive Vice Director of Sichuan University National Cadre Education Training Center， Professor of School of Public Administration, Sichuan University; and Tang Hong, Chairman of Ghana Association of Chinese Societies, Ghana, CEO of Tang Palace Hotel, Ghana. Professor Zhao Shurong, Professor of the School of Public Administration, and Director of CWAS of UESTC chaired the opening ceremony.

During the opening ceremony, UESTC and GIMPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement signifies a mutual commitment to promote exchange and cooperation between the two institutions in the areas of education, research, and social services.

After the signing ceremony, the conference proceeded to the keynote speeches chaired by Professor Zhang Zhenke. The symposium featured special guest speakers, including Professor Fang Jiaming from the University of Electronic Science and Technology, former Dean Agyeman Badu of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Edward Akwasi Boateng, Director of General of State Interests and Governance Authority of Ghana, Professor Zhang Yongpeng from China- Africa Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and
Professor Humphry Danso from AAMUSTED.

Professor Fang Jiaming initiated the discussion on "Navigating
Linguistic and Geographic Barriers to Digital Technology: The Future of Sino-African Trade in the Era of the African Free Trade Agreement" with detailed insights shared by Dr. Prince Clement Addo. Former Dean Agyeman Badu spoke on "Ghana's Digital Transformation".

Edward Akwasi Boateng mainly shared his views on "Governance Structures,
Policy Frameworks, and Economic Performance in the Development of
Ghanaian State-Owned Enterprises". Professor Zhang Yongpeng from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences elaborated on "Sino-African Cooperation in Poverty Reduction: Experiences from China". Finally, Professor Humphry Danso from AAMUSTED discussed "Vocational Education and Technical Training".

The offline representatives and online participants of the meeting
expressed a fruitful harvest on the content of the keynote speech, and said
that "This is a successful sharing, which makes me full of expectations for
the development of China and Africa".

Parallel Session I: Digital Economy Development in West Africa (Africa): Chaired by Li Junqing, Dean of Institute of National Security and Governance of MUC； Sun Yu, Director of Art Education Center of Northwestern Polytechnical University of China (NPU, and George Asante, Head of Department of Information Technology Education of AAMUSTED. Fifteen experts and scholars discussed topics such as ICT and the African agricultural system, market access, and development
strategies for Chinese cross-border e-commerce enterprises in the context
of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and the development of the
international medical imaging DICOM standard and its Sinicization.

Parallel session II China-West Africa (Africa) Vocational Education and Training: Chaired by Professor Yarhands Dissou Arthur, with five scholars from China and Ghana discussing Sino-African educational exchange and cooperation, 21st-century vocational education, industry-education collaboration in vocational education, liberal education for Chinese science and engineering students and cooperation with Africa, and graduate employability in the 21st century.

Parallel Session III: Emerging Scholars' Session: Hosted by Adolph Agbey from GIMPA. Speakers focused on the risks and strategies of China-Africa digital economy cooperation, the challenges and development paths of China-Africa digital cooperation, the prospects and challenges of Chinese investment in Ghana, the impact of China-Africa Continental Group Free Trade Agreement, the implications of China- Ghana relations for foreign policy, the benefits and challenges of China- Ghana bilateral relations, and the international human rights system and state law enforcement Talk.

Parallel Session IV: 2023 Center for West African Studies’ Innovative Research Projects: Moderated by An Chunying, Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies (IWAAS) of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Teachers and student representatives from the University of Electronic Science and Technology reported on the center's research innovation fund projects. Wang Nan, Special researcher of the Chinese Institute of African Studies, Director editor of People's Daily, provided insightful comments and a summary speech.

Parallel Session V: Young Scholar Session: Co-chaired by Liang Yijian, Associate Professor of the Center for African Studies of Yunnan University, and Jacobus Frederick Mostert, Lecturer of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Nine young scholars discussed topics like Sino-Nigerian digital economic cooperation under the digital blue ocean perspective: opportunities and challenges, the impact of West African economic growth, and urbanization on the sustainability of marine fisheries. Li Zhenyan, Chief Executive Officer of the China-Africa Trade Research Center, and Dr. Diarra Boubacar, vice president Federation of China-Africa Friendship Associations, commented on and summarized the scholars' presentations.

Following the completion of the various parallel sessions, the 2023 International Symposium on West African Studies (5th ISWAS) concluded with a closing ceremony. At the closing ceremony, representatives of the parallel sessions reviewed and summarized the discussion of the parallel sessions, and the 2023 International Symposium on West African Studies (5th ISWAS) successfully concluded.

On November 29, delegates visited The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Kumasi and held Round Table Discussions on Vocational Education Cooperation. During this meeting, CWAS of UESTC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AAMUSTED.