BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday warmly congratulated African countries and their people on the 34th African Union (AU) summit.
In his congratulatory message, Xi expressed his wish that African countries and people will continue to make greater achievements on the path of unity for self-improvement, development and progress. Enditem
The African Union leaders opened a two-day virtual Summit on Saturday, in what organisers said will also focus on their individual countries’ response to COVID-19.
The first case in the continent was reported in Egypt last year before the pandemic quickly spread to other countries, including with infections from abroad.
Initially, there were fears that the pandemic will ravage Africa, a continent known to be far much behind in development with poorly equipped hospitals but that did not happen.
Outgoing AU Chairman and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “This disease has caused great suffering and hardship across our continent.
China has played a key role in supporting African countries deal with the pandemic, including sending in medical equipment and arranging virtual exchanges with its medics.
It has also sent to African counties its medical experts to work with individual counties so as to eliminate the pandemic and has assured of helping them acquire the much sought after vaccine.
