Chinese Enterprises Support Anti-Pandemic Battle in Ethiopia

The Chinese government and Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia have been devoted to fighting against COVID-19 in the country since the pandemic burst out.

On April 16 ,China sent a medical group to the country and provided a large amount of critical medical supplies including surgical masks, protective equipment, non-invasive ventilators and traditional Chinese medicines.

Chinese enterprises in the country also offered a lot of anti-pandemic materials and daily necessities to support local pandemic treatment, prevention and control.

A Chinese-invested hospital, one of the best hospitals in the country for epidemic treatment, became a designated hospital for the pandemic and cured the country's first COVID-19 patient.

The hospital was renovated for pandemic treatment within five days by China State Construction Engineering Corporation's subsidiary in Ethiopia, which greatly contributed to the country's capacities for COVID-19 treatment.

Many Chinese enterprises including Huajian Group and TECNO Mobile Phone as well as those with subsidiaries in the country like China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC), China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. and China Railway Group Limited (CREC) provided daily anti-pandemic materials like masks and disinfectant.

Eastern Industry Zone, the only overseas economic & trade cooperative zone in Ethiopia at the national level, also offered medical supplies to the country.

In addition to the makeshift medical facilities and anti-pandemic materials, many of the projects that Chinese enterprises invested in and constructed in recent years also contributed to the country's economic development and normal production during the outbreak.

For example, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, built and operated by CCECC and CREC's China Railway No.2 Engineering Group Co., Ltd., transported more than 20,000 containers, 40,000 tons of fertilizer and over 40,000 tons of grain from neighboring countries to Ethiopia during the outbreak which supported local production and guaranteed residents' daily demands.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway transported more than 20,000 containers, 40,000 tons of fertilizer and over 40,000 tons of grain from neighboring countries to Ethiopia during the outbreak. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Taking advantage of its large transport capacity and high-efficiency, emergency services were also provided through the railway.

In March, when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Dire Dawa, a city in East Ethiopia, 1,267 college students were evacuated to Addis Ababa by the railway.

Chinese experience in pandemic prevention and control were also taken by these Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia to guarantee the health of each employee.

As early as a week before the first COVID-19 case was confirmed, CCECC had taken a series of anti-pandemic steps including giving out masks and disinfectant to employees and arranging commuting vehicles to transport local workers.

Local employees take temperature every day at the construction site. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Later, the subsidiary also arranged its employees to work from home and held anti-pandemic training to improve their awareness of pandemic prevention.

CCCC's department, responsible for Bole international airport, established a volunteer group to demonstrate anti-pandemic knowledge to local people, while its staff members at the company's project in Addis Ababa Science & Technology University also made an anti-pandemic pamphlet in English to help local contractors learn about the virus.

Progress in projects contracted by Chinese enterprises never stopped despite the outbreak.

For example, the Addis Ababa riverside project, contracted by CCCC, is a livelihood program to make the city greener, cleaner and more living-friendly.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Chinese enterprises' supports are the proof of China-Ethiopia friendship.

The year of 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of establishment of China-Ethiopia diplomatic relations. Chinese enterprises will continue to fight in the anti-pandemic battle in Ethiopia and contribute to building a China-Africa community with a shared future.

A view of the Hawassa Industrial Park, the first national industrial park in Ethiopia [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

(Executive editor: Zhang Tianyuan)