The proposed construction of the new Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is supposedly expected to begin this year ahead of schedule.
This was proposed by Xi Jinping, the president of the People’s Republic of China during the recent China-Africa summit. He said that the decision was reached with an aim to help the African continent compact the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The new Africa CDC will play a major role in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic across Africa and China will continue to do whatever it can to support Africa’s response to the virus,” affirmed President Jinping.
The Government of China was given the mandate to undertake the construction of the US$80B new Africa CDC headquarters building in June last year through an Agreement signed with the African Union Commission.
Also read: Africa CDC begins continent-wide effort to combat coronavirus
Project overview
The new Africa CDC headquarters building will be built in a Village, south of Addis Ababa, on a site that covers an area of approximately 90,000m2 with a total construction area of nearly 40,000m2.
Upon completion, the structure will comprise of fully furnished emergency operation center, a data center, a laboratory, a resource center, briefing rooms, a training center, a conference center, offices, and expatriate apartments
Xi Jinping said that his country will tirelessly work hand in hand with Africa to fully deliver the health care initiative which was adopted at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and speed up the construction of China-Africa Friendship Hospitals and the cooperation between paired-up Chinese and African hospitals.
“Together, we will build a China-Africa community of health for all,” he concluded.
Source: Construction Review Online