On the evening of March 26, 2021, a batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to the transitional government of Sudan and by the Chinese military to the Sudanese military arrived on a plan in Sudan's capital Khartoum. The batch was received at a handover ceremony by Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin, Chairman of Sudan's Higher Committee for Health Emergencies and Sovereign Council member Siddiq Tawer, Sudan's Health Minister Omer Al-Najeeb, Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Majeed, Undersecretary of Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sharif, and the Chinese Embassy's military attaché Ding Feng. At the ceremony, a handover certificate was signed, and Ambassador Ma, Sovereign Council member Tawer and Sudanese Health Minister Omer made their own remarks and took the media interview on the site.
China is the first country following the WHO COVAX scheme to offer vaccine aid to Sudan, Ambassador Ma said, adding that Chinese people making a gift of the vaccines to the people of Sudan demonstrates their profound friendship and best wishes. He hoped that the vaccines will make the people of Sudan confident and hopeful about overcoming the challenge and give impetus to Sudan's anti-epidemic efforts.
Ambassador Ma pointed out, China's vaccine assistance represents a new achievement in China-Sudan solidarity against COVID-19. As close friends and strategic partners that rise and fall together with a shared future, China and Sudan have long supported and helped each other. Faced with the pandemic unseen in a century, the two countries and the two peoples have stood resolutely with and shown every concern to each other over the course of COVID-19 response. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Sudanese President Burhan have exchanged messages. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Sudanese Prime Minister Hamdok have talked over the phone. The leaders of our two nations chart the course of our joint epidemic response. Shortly after the epidemic broke out, the government and various circles of Sudan offered China their firm and heartwarming support. Chinese people always engrave such kindness in our mind. In return, at the critical juncture of Sudan's fight against COVID-19, the Chinese government sent its largest medical expert team to date to assist it in combating the virus, and delivered 17 batches of anti-epidemic supplies to various sectors of society in Sudan. As a new step in implementing the consensus between leaders of the two countries about joint COVID-19 response, the vaccine aid given by China to Sudan mirrors the bond of brotherhood between the two nations and provides a good example of our strategic partnership. He believed that the vaccines will help Sudan score a victory over the disease and get its economic and social development back to normal as early as possible, and to build a line of defense for the lives and health of its people. More importantly, it will be remembered as a milestone in our joint fight against COVID-19.
Ambassador Ma then stressed that China's vaccine assistance marks a new contribution to advancing the building of a global community of health for all. China is a firm believer in making COVID vaccines a public good, a committed front-runner in promoting global vaccine cooperation, a steadfast advocate for equitable vaccine distribution, and a firm supporter in prioritizing vaccine safety and effectiveness. China donating COVID-19 vaccines to 69 developing countries in urgent need including Sudan and exporting them to 43 countries are concrete actions to honor the commitment made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to making Chinese vaccines a global public good and to fulfill its role as a major, responsible country that treasures good faith, friendship, justice and righteousness.
At last, Ambassador Ma noted that solidarity and cooperation is the most potent weapon to prevail over the once-in-a-century epidemic, adding that China stands ready to cement bilateral cooperation on public health and continue to provide medical assistance as much as possible to Sudan, and that we are confident about a final victory over the disease, through our concerted efforts.
For his part, Sudan's Sovereign Council member Tawer expressed his thanks to China for its valuable and selfless support, and highly praised China-Sudan vaccine cooperation as a model for China-Sudan and South-South joint COVID-19 response. He emphasized that Sudan's friendship with China grows firmer as time goes by. That China provides timely vaccine assistance when Sudan is in a tough anti-epidemic position, despite of its own limited vaccine output, speaks volume for our shared aspiration and brotherhood. The batch will be instrumental in China-Sudan cooperation against COVID-19 to renew the friendship between the two nations and their peoples.
Omer, Sudan's Health Minister, offered his gratitude to the Chinese government for its valuable vaccine aid at the critical juncture of Sudan's fight against the virus, saying that thanks to the batch of vaccines, the Sudanese government will be more powerful and confident in protecting its people. He pointed out, Sudan bears in mind that since the outbreak of the epidemic in Sudan, China has delivered aid supplies in multiple batches and dispatched a medical expert team to share its successful experience in COVID-19 containment with Sudan. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of China stationing a medical assistance team in Sudan, our medical and health cooperation has been an integral part of China-Sudan strategic partnership. Sudan will move in the same direction and continue to enrich the implications of China-Sudan friendship and cooperation. He said, he is confident that Sudan is bound to defeat the virus in the end with strong support from China.
Reporters from Sudan's local mainstream press including Sudan News Agency and Sudan TV, foreign media outlets such as Qatar's Al Jazeera Television, Lebanon's Future Television and Turkey's Anadolu Agency, and Chinese press like People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and CCTV, were invited to give live coverage of the handover event.
