Ethiopia receives Chinese donation of 520,000 masks, medical supplies

ADDIS ABABA -- Ethiopia received on June 2 the donation of 520,000 masks from five Chinese business companies and Dongguan Municipal government.

The COVID-19 medical supplies donation to Ethiopia's Addis Ababa city administration which also includes a large number of disinfectants, forehead thermometers and respirators is expected to play a critical role in helping Ethiopia's capital city overcome the challenge posed by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 medical supplies were donated by Dongguan municipal government, Huajian international Light Industry City, Transsion Manufacturing Private Limited Company (PLC), Huawei Technologies Ethiopia PLC and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Ethiopia has 1,172 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday with most of the cases concentrated in Addis Ababa, a city of four million plus population.

At the COVID-19 medical supplies donation ceremony, Tan Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, said China is working to support Ethiopia's anti-COVID-19 measures with all resources at its disposal.

"Ethiopia is facing the challenging task of containing the spread of the virus... Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on March 13, the Chinese government both at the central and local levels have been assisting Ethiopia by providing medical supplies and sharing lessons learned in an effort to boost Ethiopia's capacity to handle the outbreak," said Tan.

Tan further emphasized China's anti-COVID-19 partnership with Ethiopia is not restricted to medical supplies donation, rather part of a comprehensive strategy that works both ways.

"I wish to emphasize that the support between our two countries is mutual, not one way or one country at a receiving end. We support each other, we will stand by the great country of Ethiopia, stand by the great city of Addis Ababa in the fight against COVID-19," said Tan.

Takele Uma, mayor of Addis Ababa, said the COVID-19 medical supplies donations will be of vital assistance to his city's fight against the pandemic.

"We want to give thanks to the assistance given by the Chinese people, Chinese institutions and Chinese government and we hope they continue extending their assistance in our ongoing struggle against the virus," said the mayor.

"We Ethiopians are always able to overcome our difficulties and we will overcome this current difficulty; we will see new horizon eventually. I call on all of us to work towards this path together," said Uma.