Egypt has undertaken extensive efforts to combat the spread of the corona contagion, including a nation-wide curfew and extensive limitations on public gatherings.
There have been 5,042 confirmed cases in the country, which has a population of about 100 million people. So far, there have been 359 deaths and 1,304 Egyptians have been reportedly recovered from the disease.
While the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has seemingly invested significant resources in combating spread of the contagion, China has apparently stepped in to help Egypt (and other African nations) with significant shipments of test-kits and protection gear.
In a sign the warming relations between Cairo and Beijing, Egyptian Ambassador to China Mohamed Elbadri highlighted his country’s appreciation for the assistance to combat the pandemic. “China has offered a lot of assistance to African countries in this COVID-19 crisis. And it’s very much appreciated – very, very much appreciated,” he said.
During an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Egypt’s top envoy reminded listeners that his nation had chaired the African Union until last February. “The Chinese government has given a lot of attention to the African continent,” he added, adding, “We had a lot of ongoing communications in order to give impetus to this relationship.”