On January 11, 2023, in the southern suburbs of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, a brand-new towering modern building rose from the ground, and the first phase of the China-aided African Center for Disease Control and Prevention Headquarters Project of the African Union was completed.

This landmark building of China-Africa friendship and solidarity and cooperation is the flagship project of cooperation with Africa mentioned by President Xi Jinping many times in recent years. It is also a vivid portrayal of China and Africa sharing a common destiny and walking hand in hand. Mark of the times.

gift from china

Wakjila Totofa, who lives near the headquarters project of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is an ordinary local civil servant. For more than two years, he has been eagerly following the progress of the project construction. Totofa said emotionally: "I have been full of fear of diseases since I was a child. Malaria once claimed the lives of relatives. I heard that the Africa CDC headquarters project is about to be completed. My relatives and friends are very excited. This project will improve Our medical conditions. This project is a gift from China to the people of Ethiopia and Africa, thank you very much!"

President Xi Jinping mentioned this project many times and personally promoted it. In 2018, President Xi Jinping announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation that the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention project would be built into a flagship project; The construction of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention will start ahead of schedule this year.

The total construction area of the project exceeds 20,000 square meters, and the construction content includes office administrative area, emergency response center, information center and biological laboratory building and other facilities. After the completion of the project, it will become the first all-Africa CDC with modern office and experimental conditions and complete facilities on the African continent, which is of great significance for improving the speed of disease prevention, monitoring and epidemic emergency response in Africa.

On January 11, the first phase of the China-aided Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters project of the African Union was officially completed

The twin towers of the main building are raised with both hands, perfectly echoing the badge of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, symbolizing unity, fraternity and strength. Gao Jiajia, head of the project construction technical team, said that despite challenges such as tight construction schedules, complex technologies, difficult implementation, and the new crown epidemic, the Chinese side completed the project on schedule with Chinese speed and Chinese quality.

Monique Nsanzabaganwa, vice chairman of the African Union Commission, said: "This project fully embodies the friendship between Africa and China, and is a vivid example of China's commitment to Africa in the field of public health." Former Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Nations Trunet Zenner said: "Chinese friends have told the African people with practical actions that they are always by our side." "Africa and China have established a solid partnership and friendship in the field of public health, and look forward to more cooperation in the future."

Build a China-Africa health community

Africa has long been a weak link in the global public health system. Malaria, cholera, yellow fever and other infectious diseases plague Africa all the year round, seriously threatening the life and health of African people.

On May 10, 2020, in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, staff carried anti-epidemic materials donated by the Chinese government

In the face of the new crown epidemic, China and Africa are united and cooperate sincerely. At the most difficult moment of China's fight against the epidemic, African countries sent valuable support. After the outbreak of the epidemic in Africa, China took the lead in rushing to help, and carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation with African countries in sharing epidemic prevention experience, donating anti-epidemic materials, and providing vaccine assistance, bridging the vaccine gap and building an immune barrier... The profound connotation of the China-Africa community with a shared future has set a benchmark for international anti-epidemic cooperation.

Costantinos, a professor of public policy at Addis Ababa University, said: "I remember President Xi Jinping said that if the economy is to develop, the health must be improved. Without universal health, there will be no overall well-off." The sanitation conditions in Africa have long been The backwardness and weak medical system have brought a heavy burden to African governments to deal with diseases, and seriously restricted the sustainable economic and social development of the African continent in the long run. As the world's second largest economy, China has achieved world-renowned development achievements, including continuous investment and dedication in health care, which is worth learning from for African countries. Costantinos said that people are pleased to see that China is helping Africa improve its public health system and promoting the construction of a China-Africa health community through measures such as aiding the construction of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

towards a better future

Ten years ago, when President Xi Jinping visited Africa for the first time as President of the country, he clearly stated that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future, declaring to the world the policy concept of sincerity, affinity and sincerity towards Africa and the correct concept of righteousness and interests. One is the largest developing country, and the other is the continent with the most developing countries. China and Africa have always been good friends, good partners and good brothers who share weal and woe. Over the years, China has carried out practical cooperation with African countries in various fields, closely combining Africa's independent and sustainable development with China's own development, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

In the last month of 2022, there are frequent reports of China-Africa cooperation. The opening of the second container terminal in the port of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire will consolidate the position of the port of Abidjan in West Africa as a hub port and help local economic and social development; the completion of the Maliguina hydropower station will alleviate the national power gap in Mali and improve electricity consumption The tense situation; the completion of the first phase of the Lagos light rail blue line project in Nigeria is expected to greatly improve the traffic conditions along the line and facilitate people's travel... The three new achievements all benefit the people's livelihood and benefit the local area, adding new highlights to the joint development of China and Africa , demonstrating the surging vitality of China-Africa cooperation.

The second container terminal in the port of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, will officially open on December 2, 2022

As President Xi Jinping said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China will never forget the profound friendship with African countries, and will continue to uphold the concept of sincerity, amity and sincerity and the correct concept of righteousness and interests, and work with African countries Together with friends, let the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation be passed on and carried forward from generation to generation.

Ernetu Fred, a senior engineer who has worked in the African Union Commission for 14 years, not only experienced the whole process from the start to the completion of the African Union Conference Center project, which was also assisted by China, more than ten years ago, but also witnessed the African Union. The control center headquarters project was completed.

He said: "From the African Union Conference Center to the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, I have witnessed the increasingly close cooperation between Africa and China. I look forward to China and Africa joining hands to move towards a better future!" Editor / He Yuting