This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 17, 2020, a virtual summit was convened by China, South Africa, and Senegal to discuss solidarity against Covid-19. The summit was attended by African leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
President Xi Jinping of China assured African countries that his country will continue supporting Covid-19 containment measures in the continent. He said China will provide technical and material support needed to defeat the virus in Africa.
President Xi Jinping also urged African leaders to stick together in upholding multilateralism and oppose the politicisation and stigmatisation of the coronavirus pandemic.
China's support for Africa during the current health crisis will include debt relief in line with the G20 moratorium and the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation (FOCAC) framework. The Chinese government will also fast-track the construction of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) headquarters and support projects aimed at enhancing intra-Africa connectivity.
President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya thanked China for the Covid-19 related support given to African countries, including Kenya. He appealed for more economic interventions by China, including debt relief measures and trade concessions.
President Kenyatta also called for the strengthening of Africa's health systems, saying the continent's weak health infrastructure is a setback in the fight against Covid-19.
