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ADDIS ABABA, May 13 (Xinhua) – Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the African continent and the growing need for a rapid response to combat the virus, the Chinese government and Chinese companies are gaining praise for exercising solidarity. and support for Africa fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa (CDC in Africa), the death toll from the current COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent reached 2,403, as the number of confirmed cases reached to 69,578 as of Wednesday afternoon.
China, which is also currently fighting against COVID-19 in its country, is strengthening its support to African countries and regional organizations in support of the continent’s fight against the virus.
As part of China’s support for Africa’s anti-COVID-19 response efforts, Chinese medical experts who were on a special mission to help the people of Djibouti fight COVID-19 just left the country on Monday after to earn honors for your work. On behalf of the Djiboutian government, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Health Minister Mohamed Warsama Dirieh fired them at the airport after awarding them with certificates of merit.
The Chinese medical team, made up of 12 experts specialized in infectious and respiratory disease control, intensive care, traditional Chinese medicine and others, arrived in Djibouti on April 30 after spending approximately two weeks in Ethiopia, working with Ethiopian colleagues to prevent and control the spread of the new coronavirus.
To support African countries in their response to COVID-19, the Chinese government has dispatched medical teams to Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Algeria.
In addition, there are about 1,000 Chinese medical personnel working in Africa over the long term, according to the China National Health Commission. China has cumulatively sent around 22,000 medical workers to Africa over the past decades, and has benefited some 220,000,000 local patients in total, according to the Chinese ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong.
Over the past few months, massive medical supplies donated by the Chinese government and companies have also been distributed to African countries and regions, including face masks, disposable protective clothing, forehead thermometers, medical goggles, gloves, and shoe covers for medical use, among other equipment. .
High-level African officials and experts, representatives of national and international organizations and offices, diplomats from various African countries, as well as representatives of the African Union (AU) and CDC from Africa have praised the anti-COVID-19 support by the The Chinese government and several Chinese companies, which they described as “critical” of reducing the rapid rise in COVID-19 in different parts of the African continent.
Dawit Yirga, Director General for Asia and Oceania Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during the event that the constantly growing China-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength amid the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. .
“Africa and China are friends of the climate and the strategic partnership between China and Africa has shown vitality and strength at this time of unprecedented challenges,” said Yirga, adding that “solidarity is indeed the basis of the Africa-China partnership. and when the outbreak crown pandemic occurred in China, Africa stood firmly in solidarity with China. “
Yirga, expressing appreciation for the “leadership and commitment of the Chinese people and government to successfully contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” also emphasized that as COVID-19 spreads across the world, including In Africa, China is supporting the African continent
“In fact, we are very grateful to China for its support and solidarity at this difficult time in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the Director General.
“The support mobilized by the Chinese government and the private sector, including the Jack Ma Foundation, to help COVID-19 response efforts in Africa is greatly appreciated,” said the director general.
Noting China’s “goodwill” by sharing its successful experience deploying medical teams in Ethiopia and other African countries, Yirga also expressed confidence that the “China-Africa strategic partnership, which has stood the test of time, will once demonstrate plus their resistance. “
Chinese-assisted medical supplies that arrived in Addis Ababa on April 23 were transferred to 12 African countries and regions that are Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Djibouti, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Somalia. as well as Zanzibar from Tanzania, was observed.
Ethiopia has already received medical supplies from China recently, while there is said to be more to the East African country, while another batch of Chinese-assisted medical supplies was shipped to other African countries via Accra, Ghana in early last month.
Mafa Sejanamane, Permanent Representative of Lesotho to the AU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Ambassador of Lesotho in Ethiopia, also emphasized that “the support of China is essential in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa” .
Sejanamane, who highlighted China’s aid for medical supplies to African countries as a crucial part of the continent-wide strategy to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, also said that “COVID-19 has caused the worst crisis in a century. , in the fight against the worst crisis in a century. We need to join hands. “
“We are pleased that the Chinese people and government are at the forefront of this particular fight. With the cooperation of all our international partners we will be able to succeed,” said Sejanamane.
Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, also praised the cooperation and solidarity between China and Africa in the fight against COVID-19, saying that “as an African, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all Africans to thank the Chinese government for the generous donation of COVID-19 personal protective equipment and medical supplies. “
“These are life-saving medical supplies, so speed is very important,” said the CEO, emphasizing the Ethiopian flag carrier’s resolve to deliver the latest medical supplies “very quickly and intact to all African countries.”
“Africa needs China and China needs Africa. We are in this together in the fight against COVID-19,” said Gebremariam.
In addition to the Chinese government’s solidarity with Africa in the face of COVID-19, Chinese civilian companies and organizations are also providing urgently needed supplies to African countries.
AU Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat praised Chinese entrepreneur and technology philanthropist Jack Ma following Ma’s latest announcement of the third batch of medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations in support of the efforts of the AU and the CDC of Africa. in containing the spread of COVID-19 in Africa.
“I thanked Jack Ma for donating supplies to the AU Commission. This includes 4.6 million masks, 500,000 test kits, 200,000 personal protective equipment, as well as 300 fans,” said Mahamat after making a phone call with Jack Ma on the latest Donation of Medical Supplies.
The president of the 55-member pan-African bloc also emphasized that “these vital supplies will enhance CDC’s strategic arsenal in Africa to assist member states in the COVID-19 fight.”
AU Commissioner for Social Affairs Amira Elfadil also echoed Mahamat’s remarks by emphasizing the vital role of the latest batch of massive donations of medical equipment from the Jack Ma Foundation, calling it “true solidarity with Africa” .
Elfadil emphasized that Jack Ma’s donation would support the Association’s recently launched initiative to Accelerate Testing COVID-19 “Test and Trace.”
Ahmed Ogwell, Deputy Director for Africa CDC, also praised the donation made by Jack Ma, saying “this is a partnership that works. CDC in Africa values friends in Africa.”
On March 22, the first batch of massive medical supplies donated by the China Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation arrived in Africa. Medical supplies include 5.4 million face masks, kits for 1.08 million screenings, 40,000 sets of protective clothing, and 60,000 sets of face shields, according to the Jack Ma Foundation, in which each of the 54 countries receives around 100,000 medical masks, 20,000 test kits and 1,000 face suits and face shields.
Also on April 6, the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation conducted the second round of donations, which went to the 54 countries in Africa as the continent faces the pandemic. Final product
