From Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has admonished the international community to collaborate in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by sharing and transferring new knowledge acquired through researches.
Buhari gave the admonition on Wednesday in his speech during a virtual Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against the COVID-19, co-hosted by the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The President, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, noted that COVID-19, since its outbreak, had respected no border or the various social diversities of the human race in its onslaught against man, noting that this was the time for all humanity to combine resources and knowledge to defeat the common enemy.
Buhari told the summit, co-hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President and AU Chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa, and Senegal President and co-chair of FOCAC Macky Sall, that Nigeria would support and join any joint and collective action plan at regional and global levels to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout.
The Nigerian leader used the occasion to commend the Chinese government, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the respective actions and measures to help developing and middle-income countries in Africa to tackle the pandemic.
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On the UN, the President praised the Secretary-General, for launching COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for low and middle-income countries to tackle the health emergency, address the social and economic consequences of the crisis and strengthen the recovery efforts of most vulnerable countries.
The leadership of the global health body, WHO, was also lauded for its advice that enabled Nigeria to take measures and enlighten its people on steps to avoid contracting and spreading the virus.
Similarly, Buhari acknowledged that Chinese support had tremendously strengthened Nigeria’s effort in combating COVID-19, adding that President Xi’s strong support has further demonstrated the spirit of solidarity and enhanced the bond of partnership that already exists among FOCAC member-states.
Furthermore, the President said the Nigerian government had trained several thousands of healthcare workers, provided Personal Protective Equipment to ensure the safety of frontline workers, and offered incentives for their motivation.
With regards to restrictions on movements, occasioned by the need to contain the spread of the disease, he said the Federal Government created the enabling environment for farmers to safely plant and harvest during this rainy season in order to ensure that food security was not compromised.
The Chinese President said the summit was convened to discuss a joint response to COVID-19 and renew fraternity with Africa.
He said the world must mobilise resources and do whatever it takes to protect lives, adding that China will do whatever it can to support procurement of supplies, sending medical experts, and in other diverse ways.
Noting that China and Africa account for nearly one-third of the global population, President Xi pledged to step up support for Africa, adding that China will provide $2 billion USD over two years to support the work of WHO in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
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