A school in national capital New Delhi extended a warm welcome to Dr. Phillip David Dexter, Deputy President of the Africa-China Friendship Association (ACFA) on Thursday.
Addressing students of the Vasant Kunj-based Deep Public School, a co-educational English medium senior secondary school run by the Shri Kundan Lal Memorial Educational Society since 1989, Dr. Dexter highlighted the similarities between South Africa and India, and how India's development has inspired South Africa to eradicate illiteracy and poverty and initiate progress.
He also apprised the students about career opportunities in South Africa. Dr. Dexter also answered queries raised by the students, most of whom said that it was an informative and enriching experience.
The ACFA is an organization that has been actively promoting government-to-government relations and expanding the relationship between the ruling parties of the African countries and that of China.
Its formation was conceptualized and initiated by Dabing Chen, a Chinese South African dedicated to promoting cultural exchange and people to people relations between Africa and China after relocating to Africa in 1991.
A group of influential diplomats, government officials, entrepreneurs and prominent figures from across Africa and China have since endorsed the initiative and joined hands to support this not for profit organization and have become its founding members.
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The organization is headquartered in Cape Town, with offices to be developed in other parts of Africa.
Dr Phillip David Dexter is a prominent South African politician and activist. He entered politics as a student activist in the 1980s, after which he was forced into exile. On his return he joined the trade union movement, serving as the Secretary General for NEHAWU.
In post-apartheid South Africa, Dr. Dexter led the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC). He has been an active member of parliament and served as the spokesperson for the Congress of the People (COPE), which was formed as a result of a split within the African National Congress.
He currently serves as a director of several companies in the mining, energy, property and manufacturing sectors, and he still manages to find the time to run a non-profit organisation called Indibano.