Africa and China intensively working and excelling their cooperation via economic, industrial zones, modern agriculture, innovation, technology, tourism and energy cooperation projects, social benefits of infrastructure and other tremendous ties.
The ground breaking and unveiling ceremony for the China aided Project of African CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) Headquarters building could be mentioned among their unwavering cooperation.
Ten years ago, in order to facilitate African Union’s role of leading Africa to unite for strength, China aided the project of AU new office building which became the landmark of Ethiopia and even the whole Africa, as well as the symbol of China-Africa friendship.
Ten years later, despite COVID-19 pandemic is causing serious impact to the economic and social development of all countries in the world, particularly the Africa countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with some African leaders announced that China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year and give greater priority to China-Africa cooperation on public health, economic reopening, and people’s livelihood.
Keeping words of President Xi Jinping, China realizes the ground breaking of this project that could become a new landmark of Addis Ababa and the testimony of China-Africa solidarity against COVID-19.
Looking back this year, China and Africa supported hand in hand and fight shoulder to shoulder, against COVID-19 pandemic. China got valuable supports from the African Union and African countries when it faced the hardest period.
When the outbreak reached Africa, China sent medical expert teams to 16 African countries, built pair-up hospital cooperation with 42 African countries, offered urgent medical supplies to African Union and almost all African countries, and is committed to implement the G20 Debt Relief Initiative. All of these are the best interpretation of “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
Ethiopia as the destination for one of the first Chinese medical expert teams to Africa. Chinese experts have shared lessons and experiences unreservedly through video conferences. Such cooperation has set an excellent example of China-Africa solidarity during the difficult times, in the time of COVID-19.
During the ground breaking and unveiling ceremony, Ambassador Liu Yuxi Head of Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the African Union reaffirmed that China will try to make vaccines a global public good which is accessible and affordable for African countries.
China and Africa are firm supporters of multilateralism and important forces for world peace and development. China shows its dedication to cement support the African Union’s Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 Outbreak and Africa’s efforts to build stronger public health prevention and control systems.
Roads, airports, industrial zones, power facilities and other infrastructure built through the partnership have injected strong impetus into Africa’s sustainable development. The Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa is amongst them.
China is joining hands with Africa to build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared prosperous future.
(By: Solomon Aynishet)