COVID-19: Nigeria Begins Vaccine Deliberation With China

The Federal Government has begin deliberation with China on access to COVID-19 vaccines for Nigerians.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffery Onyeama, made the disclosure in Abuja while briefing newsmen shortly after a bilateral meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, who is on a working visit to Nigeria.

Onyeama noted that China has given assistance to Nigeria during the pandemic, through donations of protective equipment greatly affected the nation in the fight against COVID-19.

“We have received a lot of support from China in the area of personal protective equipment that they were very quick to provide us with and of course, with the vaccine discoveries now,

“China is also one of those countries that have been able to discover vaccines for COVID-19, so we are also engaging with China to also help with regards to access to vaccines for our people,”

The Minister said the relationship between both countries has dated 50 years, adding that both countries have many areas of cooperation to celebrate.

“We also realised that in 2021, we would be celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Peoples Republic of China,”

Onyeama added both country looked at the trade relations and areas that could be improved.

“In the area of fostering relations, both countries are now considering having a direct flight from Nigeria to China.

“We want to establish a direct air link with China. We hope that very soon, a Nigerian carrier would be carrying out scheduled flights to China in the not too distant future,”

Oluchi Ihediuche