Africa-Press – Uganda. The consignment of 700,000 Covid-19 Sinovac vaccines are due for transportation to Uganda, the Chinese ambassador, Mr Zhang Lizhong, has said.
Ambassador Zhang said they are working around the clock with Kampala “to expedite” the vaccine delivery as part of Beijing’s vaccine’s diplomacy to help especially developing countries step up vaccination efforts to contain the Coronavirus.
“China stands ready to stand with the international community including Uganda to follow the principle of putting people and their lives first and promote the spirit of science, deepen cooperation against the virus, promote fair and equitable distribution of vaccines and firmly oppose any act of politicising Covid-19 origins tracing,” Mr Zhang said yesterday.
He was speaking at a virtual reception to mark the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 by the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong.
President Museveni in his national address last week said the batch is part of what government is betting on to inoculate some 11.9 million people by end of December.
The country also expects vaccine donations from other countries, including France, Belgium, and USA, and also acquire from, among others, Johnson and Johnson.
Relations
Mr Zhang said Beijing and Kampala “are at their best in history.”
“Let us join hands and work even harder, to leverage our respective strength in building an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future, and to jointly promote China-Uganda comprehensive cooperative partnership to new heights,” he said.
“We need to enhance the mutual understanding and support to each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, and keep close collaboration and coordination in major international and regional affairs,” the ambassador added.
The reception yesterday coincided with Mr Zhang’s commencement of tour of duty.
Uganda ranks as the fourth investment destination for China in Africa. FDI from Beijing to Uganda stood approximately Shs11 trillion in 2016.
The country also reigns as the largest project contractor in Uganda with a list of projects, key among others, the 51.4km Kampala-Entebbe expressway which cost Shs1.7 trillion, expansion of Entebbe airport costing Shs1.5 trillion, and Karuma and Isimba hydropower dams, which combined cost Shs6.7 trillion, as part pf Beijing’s charm offensive diplomacy.
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