Morocco donates COVID-19 supplies to AU Commission

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

Morocco on Monday donated medical supplies to the African Union (AU) Commission in a bid to boost the capacity of Africa to enhance its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mohammed Arrouchi, Morocco’s ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union, handed over the donation to Amira Elfadil, commissioner for social affairs of African Union, in a ceremony held at the Ethiopian Airlines where the Moroccan cargo landed.

The consignment includes 500,000 face masks, 4,000 protective coats, 40,000 feminine hygiene cups, 60,000 visors and 2,000 liters of hydroalcoholic gel.

“It is highly appreciated that an African country has the initiative to support another member country of the African Union,” Elfadil said after receiving the donation.

It was a support that demonstrated the value of solidarity between two member states, she said.

“It is also to be highly appreciated that the medical supplies donated by Morocco are locally produced in Morocco by Moroccan companies,” she added.

“This has to be encouraged and emulated by other countries,” Elfadil said, adding Morocco and the AU are cooperating in other areas, with migration among them.

Speaking on the occasion, Arrouchi said the donation was the initiative of King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

“Morocco is always ready to be in company of African brothers to share its expertise and medical equipment,” the ambassador said.

Benjamine Djoudalbaye, head of Policy and Health Diplomacy at the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Africa was well in track in terms of the number of people getting tested for COVID-19.

He told Anadolu Agency: “We are now testing 4 million people a month on the African continent and that is well ahead of the plan.”

According to him, the plan is to make sure that 10 million people get tested in the next three to four months. “The more we test, the more infected people we identify to isolate so that to better prevent the spread.”