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Coronavirus pandemic
ChinaDiplomacy

Coronavirus: China plans cold-chain bridge to ship and distribute vaccines to African nations

  • Beijing’s ‘donation diplomacy’ seen as an attempt to gain credibility and political capital around the world
  • If the vaccination roll-out is slower in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere, so too will be any ‘vaccine bounce’ economic recovery

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Ethiopia may play a key role in Beijing’s planned cold-chain air bridge, a logistical feat to take the coronavirus vaccine to Africa for distribution. Photo: Weibo
Jevans Nyabiage
China is preparing to supply its coronavirus vaccines to African countries with Addis Ababa expected to be the logistical hub with Egypt and Morocco as manufacturing centres.
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Beijing is building a logistical network, which includes a cold-chain air bridge from Shenzhen to Ethiopia. Early this month, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s logistics arm Cainiao Global said it had established the country’s first cross-border cold-chain route with Ethiopian Airlines, ready for the shipment of Covid-19 vaccines and other drugs.

The facility features an ultra-low temperature that would enable the transport of coronavirus vaccines to Africa. The cargo would be sent from Shenzhen to Africa weekly and then shipped to other countries via Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Airlines was key early in the pandemic for transporting coronavirus testing kits and medical supplies donated by the Chinese government and other donors such as Alibaba founder Jack Ma.

Stephen Chan, a professor of politics and international relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, said: “Addis Ababa is a good hub since its air transport links are excellent and the Ethiopians have established a more equal negotiating relationship with China than most – so Ethiopia is trusted as a middle man”.

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