Embassy in Mali hands over medical supplies to Mali government to help fight COVID-19

The Chinese government's emergency aid to Mali to combat the COVID-19 pandemic arrived at Bamako International Airport on April 17.

Chinese Ambassador to Mali Zhu Liying and the Health Minister of Mali Michel Sidibé, attended the handover ceremony and signed the handover certificate on behalf of the two governments.

Zhu said in his speech that the traditional brotherly friendship between China and Mali over the past 60 years of diplomatic relations has never changed. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading on the African continent, and the Chinese people share the pain and are ready to provide assistance to African countries, including Mali, within its capability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus have done a remarkable job in the fight against the pandemic and have contributed greatly to stopping its global spread. In the face of the pandemic, countries should abandon the idea of selfishness and work together within the multilateral health system to overcome the difficulties.

Sidibé said that, at this critical moment, the Chinese government, overcoming its own difficulties, had travelled far and wide to send valuable material assistance to Mali, a friendship that the Malian people deeply appreciated and would bear in mind. The supplies will greatly enhance the Malian government's ability to fight the pandemic and will be used properly by the health sector. With the generous and selfless support of China, the Malian people will be able to win this battle.

The emergency aid included 2,000 medical masks, 10,000 general medical masks, 2,000 protective suits, 500 infrared electronic thermometers, 2,000 medical isolation goggles, 10,000 pairs of surgical gloves and 10,000 pairs of medical shoe covers. The supplies were transported to Accra, Ghana, on a special flight and transferred to Mali on a World Food Programme chartered flight.