On 6th
November 2014, the Extraordinary Session of Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government on
Ebola was held in Accra. The Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Dramani
Mahama, heads of state and government of the ECOWAS countries, the
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Desire Kadre Ouedraogo, and
representatives from international and regional organizations attended
the Extraordinary Session which focused on the fight against Ebola
epidemic in West Africa and the situation in Burkina Faso. Chinese
Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Ms. Sun Baohong attended the session as an
observer and gave a speech in regard of China's aid to African countries
for the fight against Ebola.
Ambassador Sun said
epidemic knows no borders, yet adversity reveals true friendship. Since
the outbreak of Ebola epidemic in West Africa, Chinese leaders and
people have been compassionate and stood together with people in the
affected countries. From April to October, China has conducted and
pledged 4 batches of emergency aid to the tune of 750 million yuan RMB,
which cover 13 African countries as well as international and regional
organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU). The aid from China is
strong in force which registers quite a number of "first time": it is
China's first time to use charted planes to deliver Ebola prevention and
control materials to affected countries and other African countries in
the shortest time possible; the first time for China to aid the mobile lab and the observation center in Sierra
Leone; first time to build and operate an Ebola treatment center in
Liberia; first time to send a whole unit of epidemic prevention and
control personnel and military medical workers abroad. Just five days
after President Xi Jinping's announcement of the plan for the fourth
round of assistance on October 24th, building materials and medical
equipments meant for the treatment center were sent to the capital of
Liberia by 3 chartered planes. The Chinese side has provided the
prevention materials, cash, food and mobile lab urgently needed by the
affected area, and promised to further provide materials aid such as
ambulances, motorcycles, health care packages, personal protective
equipments, hospital beds, pickup trucks and incinerators. China
actively takes part in the international cooperation on the fight
against Ebola. Chinese health workers exchange and communicate with
their international counterparts in the three Ebola-stricken countries.
The Chinese side plays an active role in the international cooperation
and coordination mechanism of UN and WHO.
Ambassador Sun spoke
highly of the outstanding contributions made by President Mahama and the
Ghanaian government to the fight against Ebola for the countries in the
sub-region, and called on the international community to take concrete
measures to fulfill as soon as possible the promise made to affected
countries, mobilize more resources and means to further increase the
intensity of aid to Africa. At the same time it is wished that all
parties should strengthen communication and coordination, support UN and
WHO to play a leading and coordinating role, further enhance the
pertinence and effectiveness of aid so as to win the final victory over
Ebola.
Ambassador Sun's speech
won a warm applause from those present. Senior officials from the
Ghanaian government, heads of missions accredited to Ghana, heads of
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and representatives from the
press congratulated Ambassador Sun and thanked the Chinese government
for the generous assistance to African countries in the fight against
Ebola.
Story;Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the peoples Republic of China. Read more here
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