Chinese gov't, enterprises win acclaim for anti-COVID-19 solidarity with Africa

ADDIS ABABA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the African continent and a growing need for swift response to tackle the virus, the Chinese government and Chinese companies are winning acclaim for exerting solidarity and support to Africa's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the latest figures from the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent reached 2,403 as the number of confirmed cases hit 69,578 as of Wednesday afternoon.

China, which is also presently fighting COVID-19 at home, 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 to Africa's anti-COVID-19 response efforts, the Chinese medical experts who were on a special mission to help Djiboutian people fight COVID-19 have just left the country on Monday after winning honors for their work. On behalf of the Djiboutian government, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Health Minister Mohamed Warsama Dirieh saw them off at the airport after rewarding them certificates of merit.

The Chinese medical team, composed of 12 experts specializing in respiratory and infectious disease control, intensive care, traditional Chinese medicine, and others, arrived in Djibouti on April 30 after spending about two weeks in Ethiopia, working with Ethiopian colleagues to prevent and control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

To support African countries in their response to COVID-19, the Chinese government has sent medical teams to Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Cote d'ivoire, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Algeria.

Besides, there are nearly 1,000 Chinese medical personnel working in Africa long-term, according to China's National Health Commission. China has sent about 22,000 medical workers accumulatively to Africa during the past decades, and benefited about 220,000,000 local patients in total, according to Chinese Ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong.

During the past months, massive medical supplies donated by the Chinese government and companies have also distributed to African countries and regions, including facial masks, disposable protective clothing, forehead thermometers, medical protective goggles, gloves and shoe covers for medical use, among other equipments.

High-level African officials and experts, representatives of national and international organizations and offices, diplomats of various African countries, as well as representatives of the African Union (AU) and the Africa CDC have commended the anti-COVID-19 support exerted by the Chinese government and various Chinese companies, which they described as "critical" in curtailing the rapid increase of COVID-19 across different parts of the African continent.

Dawit Yirga, Director General of Asia and Oceania Affairs at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during the event that the ever-growing China-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength amid the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Africa and China are all weather friends and the Sino-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength in this time of unprecedented challenges," Yirga said, adding that "solidarity is indeed the bedrock of the Africa-China partnership and when the corona pandemic outbreak happened in China, Africa stood firmly in solidarity with China."

Yirga, expressing appreciation to the "leadership and commitment of the people and government of China in successfully containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," also stressed that as COVID-19 spreads to across the globe including in Africa, China is supporting the African continent.

"We are indeed very grateful to China for its support and solidarity at this difficult moment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," the Director General said.

"The support mobilized by the Chinese government and the private sector, including the Jack Ma Foundation, to assist the COVID-19 response efforts in Africa is very much appreciated," the director general stressed.

Noting China's "commendable willingness" in sharing its successful experience by deploying medical teams in Ethiopian and other African countries, Yirga also expressed his confidence that the "Sino-Africa strategic partnership, which has passed the test of time, will once again prove its resilience."

The China-aided medical supplies that arrived in Addis Ababa on April 23 were transferring 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 Tanzania's Zanzibar, it was noted.

Ethiopia has already received medical supplies from China recently, while more is said to be on the way to the East African country, while another batch of China-aided medical supplies has been shipped to some other African countries via Accra, Ghana earlier last month.

Mafa Sejanamane, Permanent Representative of Lesotho to the AU and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Ambassador of Lesotho to Ethiopia, also stressed that "China's support is essential in Africa's anti-COVID-19 fight."

Sejanamane, who noted China's medical supplies' aid to African countries as a crucial part of the continent-wide strategy to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, also said that "COVID-19 has brought about the worst crisis in a century, in combating the worst crisis in a century. We need to put our hands together."

"We are pleased that the Chinese people and government are on the forefront of this particular struggle. With the cooperation of all our international partners we will be able to triumph," Sejanamane said.

Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, also hailed the China-Africa cooperation and solidarity 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 Chinese government for the generous donation of COVID-19 personal protective equipments and medical supplies."

"These are lifesaving medical supplies, so speed is very important," the CEO said, as he emphasized the Ethiopian flag carrier's resolve to deliver the latest medical supplies "very fast and intact to all African countries."

"Africa needs China and China needs Africa. We're in this together in the fight against COVID-19," Gebremariam said.

In addition to the Chinese government's solidarity with Africa on the face of COVID-19, Chinese companies and civil organizations are also providing urgently needed supplies to African countries.

The AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has commended the Chinese tech entrepreneur and 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 AU and the Africa CDC's efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 across Africa.

"I thanked Jack Ma for the donations of supplies to the AU Commission. This includes 4.6 million masks, 500,000 test kits, 200,000 Personal Protective Equipments, as well as 300 ventilators," Mahamat said after holding a phone call with Jack Ma on the latest medical supplies donation.

The chairperson of the 55-member pan African bloc also stressed that "these vital supplies will enhance the Africa CDC's strategic stockpile to assist member states in the COVID-19 fight."

The AU Commissioner of Social Affairs, Amira Elfadil, also echoed Mahamat's comments as she emphasized the vital role of the latest batch of massive medical equipment donation from the Jack Ma Foundation, calling it "a true solidarity with Africa."

Elfadil emphasized that the donation from Jack Ma would support the AU's recently launched Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing "Test and Trace" initiative.

Ahmed Ogwell, Deputy Director of Africa CDC, also hailed the donation made by Jack Ma, saying that "this is a partnership that works. The Africa CDC values friends of Africa."

On March 22, the first batch of massive medical supplies donated by China's Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation arrived in Africa. The medical supplies include 5.4 million face masks, kits for 1.08 million detection tests, 40,000 sets of protective clothing and 60,000 sets of protective face shields, according to the Jack Ma Foundation, in which each of the 54 countries receiving some 100,000 medical masks, 20,000 test kits and 1,000 protective suits and face shields.

Also on April 6, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation made the second round of donations, which went to all 54 countries in Africa as the continent grapples with the pandemic.