ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

China on Tuesday donated to Ethiopia 300,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Sinopharm.

“The China-aided vaccines will surely help protect the life and health of many Ethiopians from the ravages of the pandemic,” Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan said on the occasion of the delivery of the vaccine doses at the Cargo terminal of the Ethiopian Airlines.

“We will never forget that, this time last year, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reaffirmed Ethiopia’s support to China’s fight against COVID-19 via a telephone call and letters of sympathies to President Xi Jinping,” he said.

He noted that China has and is donating vaccines to 80 developing countries in urgent need, and has provided support under the COVAX global vaccine-sharing scheme.

A total of 202,545 COVID-19 cases has been reported in Ethiopia, including 2,825 deaths and 155,190 recoveries.

On Monday, Ethiopia launched stricter social measures under which anyone going outside without a mask or groups making physical contacts will face arrest, three years in jail and fines.

Receiving the vaccines, Ethiopia’s Health Minister Lia Tadesse recalled that China had also donated COVID-19 medical equipment.

Ethiopia plans to vaccinate 20% of its 110 million population by the end of 2021.