New shipment of China-aided COVID-19 vaccines arrives in Mozambique

The handover ceremony of China-aided COVID-19 vaccines to Mozambique was held on Dec 13. Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Wang Hejun and Mozambican Minister of Health Armindo Tiago attended the ceremony and signed the handover certificate on behalf of their respective sides. China delivered 1 million doses of vaccines in this shipment.

Tiago extended sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and people on behalf of President Filipe Nyusi and the Mozambican government. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Mozambique, China has been generous in providing technology and material assistance, according to Tiago, which greatly enhanced Mozambique’s capacity in the fight against the pandemic and its effort to achieve herd immunity, and facilitated the restoration of socioeconomic development. This shipment of vaccines was the first part of the 1 billion doses that the Chinese government promised to provide to Africa at the latest Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and it was an honor for Mozambique to receive this batch of vaccines with that special significance, he said. 

Tiago also said the Chinese vaccines are safe and effective in reducing severe cases and deaths. The new variant had brought a resurgence of the virus to Mozambique lately, he said, adding that the timely arrival of the Chinese vaccines will be of great help in Mozambique’s fourth stage of vaccination program. Mozambique is confident that it will win the battle against the virus at an early date with the help from China, he said. 

Wang said since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has always upheld the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, stood together with Mozambique and other African countries against the pandemic and offered help within its capacity. At the newly concluded FOCAC Ministerial Conference in Dakar, according to Wang, China announced that it will provide another 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa, including 600 million doses as donation, in order to help the African Union achieve its goal of vaccinating 60 percent of the African population by 2022. This was another strategic action by China in support of the anti-pandemic work in Africa, he noted. After the conference, China and Mozambique wasted no time in putting their words into action, which led to the arrival of this batch of 1 million doses, he said. Wang believed that the vaccines will play an important role in Mozambique’s epidemic prevention and control and are another vivid portrayal of the high-level political mutual trust and the indestructible friendship between the two countries. 

Wang emphasized that vaccines are the most important weapon against the pandemic, and China has always attached great importance to vaccine research and development and international cooperation. China has reiterated on multiple international occasions that it will make COVID-19 vaccines a global pubic good and contribute to their accessibility and affordability in developing countries, especially in Africa, he said, adding that China and Mozambique are now working closely to further vaccine cooperation.