On February 24, 2021, Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin met with the new head of the Federal Ministry of Health of the Sudan’s transitional regime Dr. Omar to exchange their views on joint COVID-19 response and China-Sudan cooperation on medical and health areas.
At the outset, Ma extended his congratulations to Dr. Omar on the appointment as Sudan’s Health Minister. He noted that as traditional strategic partners, China and Sudan have forged lasting friendship over the past 62 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides, and built our health cooperation into the flagship of bilateral practical cooperation. In the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, the two countries have pulled together to tide over the difficulties. Shortly after the epidemic broke out, people from all sectors in Sudan expressed their strong support to China. At the height of Sudan’s battle against the coronavirus, the Chinese government sent its largest medical expert team to help Sudan with COVID-19 response and shipped medical supplies indispensable for the anti-epidemic fight in 13 batches to Sudan. These concrete actions are the act of brotherhood between China and Sudan that always get through a crisis together. At present, COVID-19 is still spreading in local communities in Sudan. Both China and Sudan are confronted with enormous pressure from epidemic prevention and containment. Despite enormous demands for vaccines at home and limited vaccine output, the Chinese government overcame difficulties and decided to provide vaccines for Sudan for its emergency use, in an effort to assist Sudan in fighting COVID-19. This shows that China attaches high importance to its relations with Sudan and its sincerity toward the people of Sudan. It is a concrete action to honor the commitment made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good. Undoubtedly, this will enable China to make its contribution to making vaccines accessible and affordable in developing countries and pursuing the vision of building a community of health for all. Going forward, China stands ready to step up cooperation with Sudan on COVID-19 response and medical and health areas, in a bid to pass on and carry forward the friendly bonds between the people of China and Sudan and lift bilateral health cooperation to a new level.
Omar noted that with long-lasting traditional friendship, the two nations have seen fruitful results in bilateral cooperation on various fronts, and said, Sudan applauds China’s great achievements in epidemic prevention and control and highly appreciates China’s support and assistance to Sudan amid the ongoing pandemic, including providing medical supplies and sharing good practices in diagnosis and treatment. He added, China extended its helping hand to Sudan when its vaccines are in short supply and in great demand from overseas, and Sudan is deeply grateful to China for its vaccine assistance. Next, guided by Sudan’s Ministry of Health, the COVID-19 response committee will do what it can to work with China to roll out Chinese vaccines as early as possible in Sudan, which is expected to play a positive role in Sudan’s battle against COVID-19. Sudan will take the vaccine cooperation as an opportunity to foster exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the public health sphere, and is especially keen to deepen exchanges with China in the training of professionals, medicine production and technical training.
