UK pledges £1M to support Egypt against Covid-19

CAIRO – 14 December 2020:  The United Kingdom pledged, Monday to offer £1million to back Egypt's battle against Covid-19 pandemic through the World Health Organization (WHO).

British Ambassador in Cairo Geoffrey Adams said in a statement that his country is committed to backing Egypt through the WHO to face this unprecedented global challenge.

He expressed happiness over enhancing cooperation between Egypt and Britain at this critical time.

WHO representative in Cairo Naima Al Qusayr said the organization welcomes UK support of Egypt to help face the current pandemic through boosting the healthcare system.

The money will go for strengthening the Egyptian Health Ministry's Covid-19 response and the way it is combatting it, the embassy said.

It added that the financial support will help the WHO provide PPE and other basic equipment to Egypt, including personal protection gear of health staffers, disinfectants and lab equipment.

The WHO will also hold an electronic training to staffers operating within quick-response teams in different Egyptian governorates.

Egypt has received on Thursday the first shipment of the Chinese-manufactured Sinopharm from the UAE, which has officially registered the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. According to the UAE news agency WAM, the vaccine has 86 percent efficacy against COVID-19 infection.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi thanked the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) for sending the shipment of the vaccine, highlighting the distinguished level that governs Egypt's relations with the Gulf states, especially the UAE.

The Chinese vaccine has shown 99 percent efficacy in producing antibodies to the novel virus and 100 percent efficacy in preventing cases from showing moderate or severe symptoms, Egyptian Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said.

Chinese Ambassador Liqiang said the Egyptian-Chinese relations have witnessed a big leap over the past years, Egyptian state’s news agency MENA reported.

He said China suffered from a critical phase as a result of the coronavirus, noting that Sisi has sent a message of solidarity to his Chinese counterpart and Zayed paid a visit to China with medical and preventive supplies.

The ambassador asserted that the arrival of the Sinopharm vaccine to Cairo is the best evidence on the strength of such friendly ties between the two countries.