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Construction of the new headquarters for the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to officially begin.
This is after the inauguration and inauguration ceremony, which was attended by diplomats and representatives from various African countries, which took place in Ethiopia. This is a fulfillment of China’s promise to begin construction this year.
The project, which will be funded and built by the Chinese government for an amount of US $ 80 million, is expected to strengthen the continent’s capacity to build resilient health systems for a healthier and stronger Africa.
During the ceremony, the president of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, thanked the Chinese government for offering to build the building.
In a message delivered on his behalf by the African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs, Amira Elfadil, Mr. Faki noted that the Chinese leadership had been consistent in its support of Africa and its people.
“The partnership between the AU and China is strategic, and the AU is reaching out to all partners seeking mutual cooperation with Africa. I also commend the efforts of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and the President of the AU in establishing the African COVID-19 Vaccine Procurement Task Force as a component in support of Africa’s vaccine strategy, ”said Mr. Faki in your message.
Once completed, the building will include an emergency operations center, data center, laboratory, resource center, briefing rooms, training center, conference center, offices and apartments for expats, all to be built, furnished and equipped by the Chinese government.
The AU commission noted that this was not the only project that was scheduled to start, since several of them, which would be carried out in several countries, had already been scheduled.
“I would like to assure you of the construction of the other five collaborating regional Africa CDC centers located in Egypt, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, to serve the North Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Southern Africa regions. respectively. They will start in the near future, ”he added.
For his part, the head of China’s Mission to the African Union, Ambassador Liu Yuxi, stressed the importance of the project, saying that China and Africa will always support each other and fight shoulder to shoulder.
“China received valuable support from the African Union and African countries when it faced the most difficult period. When the pandemic outbreak reached Africa, China sent teams of medical experts to 16 African countries, entered into joint hospital cooperation with 42 African countries, and offered urgent medical supplies to the African Union and almost all African countries, ”Ambassador Liu said.
Speaking via video link from Beijing, Qian Keming, China’s Vice Minister of Commerce, said that the construction of the Africa CDC was a concrete action to fulfill the commitments made at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the China Cooperation Forum- Africa.
Minister Qian further reiterated President Xi Jinping’s commitment that China will continue to support Africa in the fight against COVID-19 and begin construction of the CDC headquarters in Africa ahead of schedule this year.
“The inauguration ceremony will take the project to a new stage. We hope that this flagship project of practical cooperation between China and Africa can benefit the African people and become another shining example of China-Africa friendship. China is committed to the principle of seeking shared benefits through consultation and collaboration with the African Union for the implementation of its 2063 Agenda, ”said Qian. – KBC
