The Ghana China Friendship Association (GHACHIFA) has expressed appreciation at the holding of the virtual extraordinary China-Africa summit on solidarity against COVID-19.

The GHACHIFA, commending the organizers, said the video conference which was jointly initiated by China, South Africa and Senegal, was important in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The summit was attended by the heads of states of the People’s Republic of China, South Africa, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Gabon, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia as well as the Chairperson of the AU Commission among other dignitaries.

Dr Benjamin Anyagre, General Secretary of GHACHIFA speaking to the Ghana News Agency, said the Summit would go down as one of the historic events of the century due to its humanistic nature to protect lives.

Dr Anyagre said his outfit congratulated President Xi Jinping as a grassroot centred leader for his timely message and assurances to cooperate with African Countries to mobilize the necessary resources to protect lives.

“GHACHIFA appreciate the continuous help of China to Africa with medical supplies, experts’ teams and the promise to construct- CHINA-AFRICA FRIENDSHIP HOSPITALS. Africa looks forward to the Belt and Road Cooperation in a win- win collaboration to help speed her development”.

He added that there was the need for solidarity and support in the form of resources from the various parties to cushion the response to the pandemic and provide the needed socio-economic development during the pandemic.

The GHACHIFA, he said, agreed with the emphasis on the importance of global collaboration, and the call for intensified international cooperation, unity, solidarity and joint efforts to contain and mitigate the pandemic with particular attention to the needs of people in vulnerable situations.

The Association commended China for considering the debt concerns of African countries and promising to earnestly act on the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative, through friendly consultation as equals, while expediting support for the African countries worst hit by COVID-19.

They called on the international community, especially the developed countries and international financial institutions, to also ease the debt burden of African countries to mitigate the economic effect of the virus which had led to a shift of resources from social and economic development to its management.

He said the Association wished to state that the contribution of Africa to the successful summit was an appeal for time to explore workable mechanism to address unforeseen conflicts issues between the peoples of China and Africa, adding that there was the need for enhanced grassroots people to people cooperation in the areas of trade, business and rural economic development.