Interview:China-aidedAfricaCDCheadquartershelpsdealwithpandemics:AUofficial_GuangmingOnlineThisphotoshowstheheadquartersbuildingoftheAfricaCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(AfricaCDC)inAddisAbaba,Ethiopia,onJan.11,2023.(Xinhua/DongJianghui)TheChina-aidedAfricaCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(AfricaCDC)headquartersservesasanimportantplatformforAfricancountriestocontainpandemicinawell-coordinatedmanner,aseniorAfricanUnion(AU)Commissionofficialhassaid.ADDISABABA,Feb.20(Xinhua)--TheChina-aidedAfricaCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(AfricaCDC)headquartersservesasanimportantplatformforAfricancountriestocontainpandemicinawell-coordinatedmanner,aseniorAfricanUnion(AU)Commissionofficialhassaid.AUCommissionerforAgriculture,RuralDevelopment,BlueEconomy,andSustainableEnvironmentJosefaSackosaidthatwiththeadventoftheCOVID-19pandemic,Africasawthevulnerabilityofitshealthsectorandtheneedforhavingacontinentaldiseasepreventionandcontrolcenter."Withthisbigcenterherefordiseasecontrol,itmeansthatwewanttogainourownresponsibility,ourownprogram,"SackotoldXinhuainaninterviewonthesidelinesofthe36thOrdinarySessionoftheAfricanUnion(AU)AssemblyheldfromFeb.18to19attheheadquartersoftheAUintheEthiopiancapitalAddisAbaba.TheAUcommissionersaidtheAfricaCDCheadquartersprojectwouldhelpstrengthenthecapacityandcapabilityofAfrica'spublichealthinstitutionsandAfricandoctorsbesidesmanufacturingAfrican-mademedicines."Soitisaverygoodthing.Wearegoingtosolvetheprobleminsteadofgoingandimportingmedicine;wecanaswelluseourownmedicine,"Sackosaid.ThisphotoshowsthelaboratorybuildingoftheAfricaCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(AfricaCDC)inAddisAbaba,Ethiopia,onJan.11,2023.(Xinhua/DongJianghui)SpeakingaboutthepartnershipbetweenChinaandAfrica,thecommissionersaidthecooperationbetweenthetwocountriesisexpandingovertimewithChinahavingofferedtheAfricanUnionheadquarterscomplexandnowtheAfricaCDCbuildingstothecontinent."Whenweenterhere(theAfricanUnionheadquarters),weareproudofthefacilities.Whenyougoto(Africa)CDCtoday,thereyouhaveabigfacilitywithalotoflabs.Thatiswhatweneed,"shesaid.TherecentlyinauguratedAfricaCDCheadquartersprojectinAddisAbabaisabouttostartoperationstodetectandrespondquicklyandeffectivelytodiseasethreatsandoutbreaksacrossthecontinent,basedondata-driveninterventionsandprograms.InJanuarythisyear,seniorofficialsfromtheAUCommissionandtheAfricaCDC,representativesofAfricancountries,ChineseofficialsaswellasdiplomatsfromtheChinesemissiontotheAUandhigh-leveldignitarieswitnessedthecompletionoftheAfricaCDCheadquartersprojectonthesouthernsuburbofAddisAbaba.AccordingtotheAU,thenewAfricaCDCheadquartersisexpectedtobecomeoneofthebest-equippedcentersfordiseasecontrolinAfrica,allowingAfricaCDCtoplayitsroleasthetechnicalinstitutioncoordinatingdiseaseprevention,surveillanceandcontrolinthecontinentinpartnershipwiththenationalpublichealthinstitutesandministriesofhealthofAUmemberstates.■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.