ADDIS ABABA- Chinese President Xi Jinping announces China will work with other G20 members to implement the debt service suspension initiative for poorest countries and ready to bolster support for the hardest-hit countries due to COVID-19.
During the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday held via video link, Xi has announced concrete measures to boost global fight against COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release from Chinese Embassy in Addis Ababa.
President Xi assured the assembly that China will work for the debt service suspension of developing countries and China will work for its implementation.
Additionally, Xi said China is ready to work with the international community to bolster support for the hardest-hit countries under the greatest strain of debt burden so that they could tide over the current difficulties, the statement noted.
“China stands for the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind,” said Xi, adding that China takes it as its responsibility to ensure not just the life and health of its own citizens, but also global public health.
Xi also called on the world to provide more material, technological and personnel support for African countries, saying that “helping them build capacity must be our top priority in COVID-19 response.”
In addition Xi calls the international community to strengthen global governance in the area of public health and proposed to restore economic and social development and strengthen international cooperation.
Noting that the mankind is facing the most serious global public health emergency since the end of World War II, Xi said “solidarity and cooperation is a sure way through which we, the people of the world, can defeat this novel coronavirus.”
He called on the international community to work as one and make concerted efforts to protect the life and health of people in all countries, safeguard planet Earth and build a global community of health for all.
China promised to provide two billion U.S. dollars over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald May 23/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
