Tan Jian, the Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, on behalf of Prof. Peng Liyuan, wife of the Chinese President Xi Jinping, handed over COVID-19 prevention items including facial masks and infrared thermometers to the office of the First Lady of Ethiopia in a bid to help the host country’s effort to combat the pandemic.
Amb. Tan expressed appreciation of the solidarity and support to the Chinese people given by many African countries, particularly Ethiopia, at the most difficult time when China was hit the hardest by the COVID-19. He noted that as a token of friendship between the Chinese people and their African brothers and sisters, the Chinese government has decided to donate medical supplies to help mothers, children and young people through the Office of the First Lady.
Muluken Fenta, Director of Ethiopia’s First Lady Office, expressed thanks for the generous donation by the Chinese government. “As the first country to successfully control the spread of the pandemic, China sets an exemplary role of standing together with Africa to combat the COVID-19 virus and has made great contribution to the prevention and control of the pandemic in Ethiopia,” he said during the ceremony.
It is learnt that earlier this year, Madame Antoinette Sassou, the First Lady of the Republic of Congo, President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development(OAFLAD), wrote a letter to Prof. Peng Liyuan on behalf of the OAFLAD and asked for China’s attention to mothers and children and young people in Africa.
Prof. Peng, accompanied President Xi on his first visit to Africa as Chinese President in March 2013, has carried out a lot of cooperation with OAFLAD since then under the framework of FOCAC.
OAFLAD is an organization where First Ladies of Africa seek to leverage their unique position to promote African women and youth empowerment.
