23 Feb 2021

China has promised Botswana a consignment of Sinopharm vaccine for COVID-19, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has revealed.

Speaking during a valedictory call by outgoing Chinese ambassador Dr Zhao Yambo at Office of President yesterday, the President said he had directed a health and wellness ministry technical team to work with its Chinese counterparts  to come up with modalities of ensuring that the vaccine met the Botswana Medical Regulatory Authority (BOMRA) requirements.

“The Ministry of Health and Wellness technical team must be working on processing the requirements needed for medication to come to Botswana,” he stated.

    On Botswana-China relations, President Masisi said the country had benefitted immensely from its relationship with China during the tenure of the outgoing ambassador.

Among the achievements, he cited human capacity development and training in China that benefitted  citizens across sectors as well as support and assistance offered through provision of Chinese medical personnel.

In addition, China had been generous in gifting interest free and concessionary loans as well as infrastructure developments, President Masisi said.

He said China’s support to the world, from initial preventative strategies of COVID -19, modelling of containment and sharing of knowledge and gifting of personal protective equipment, could not be ignored.

Describing Dr Yambo as a consummate and distinguished diplomat, Dr Masisi said the outgoing ambassador would be remembered for his commitment and resolve to serving Batswana as well as the gentleness he displayed in community and diplomatic circles.

For his part, Ambassador Yambo said thanked President Masisi for paying a state visit to China in 2018 and his attendance of the China-Forum on Africa Development, which he said opened a new page for the two countries’ relations. ENDS