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Coronavirus pandemic
ChinaDiplomacy

China makes billion-dose pledge to Africa to help overcome the coronavirus pandemic

  • Chinese President Xi Jinping tells Africa forum that Beijing will also advance billions of dollars for trade and infrastructure
  • In addition, Chinese medical teams and experts will be sent to help the continent

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Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, in Dakar, Senegal, via video link on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Jevans Nyabiage
China has promised to donate a billion coronavirus vaccines, advance billions of dollars for African trade and infrastructure, and write off interest-free loans to African countries to help the continent heal from the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking via a video link from Beijing during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would supply a billion doses to help Africa vaccinate 60 per cent of its population by next year.

Of those, 600 million would be via donations and the rest would be produced jointly by African countries and Chinese companies.

In addition, China would send medical teams to help the continent deal with the pandemic, Xi said, to the forum, which is being hosted by Senegal.

“China will undertake 10 medical and health projects for African countries and send 1,500 medical personnel to Africa,” Xi said.

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Most countries in Africa have not vaccinated their citizens. The World Health Organization says while many high-income countries reported more than 60 per cent vaccine coverage, just over 7 per cent of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated – despite a recent rise in shipments to the continent.

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