China has announced that it will contribute two billion dollars in the next two years to countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chinese President, Xi Jinping made this known on Monday in a message to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual conference.
He mentioned that the money is not only earmarked for health measures, but also as developmental aid for affected countries.
He explained that the $2 billion over the next two years will support Covid-19 response efforts, particularly in developing countries, Xi said.
Xi said he also supported the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to Covid-19.
“We have shared control and treatment experience with the world without reservation,” Xi said. “We have done everything in our power to support and assist countries in need.”
The EU resolution proposes that the independent evaluation should be initiated “at the earliest appropriate moment” and should, among other issues, examine “the actions of WHO and their timelines pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
WHO announced the coronavirus outbreak to be a global health emergency on Jan. 30, its highest level of alert. In the following weeks, WHO warned countries there was a narrowing “window of opportunity” to prevent the virus from spreading globally.
WHO officials, however, repeatedly described the transmission of the virus as “limited” and said it wasn’t as transmissible as flu; experts have since said Covid-19 spreads even faster. It declared the outbreak to be a pandemic on March 11, after the virus had killed thousands globally and sparked large epidemics in South Korea, Italy, Iran and elsewhere.
“This work should be based on science and professionalism, led by WHO and conducted in objective and impartial manner,” he said.
Recall that Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, had last recently requested that China pays compensation to African countries over the Coronavirus pandemic.
Ezekwesili, in a post on ‘The Washington Post’, said China must pay for failing to manage COVID-19, adding that it injured Africa’s development prospects and worsened the conditions of the poor.
However, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria criticized her demands, adding that it was irresponsible.
