China provides emergency aid to cyclone-hit Zimbabwe

The Chinese embassy and Chinese community in Zimbabwe have provided emergency aid to local victims hit by Cyclone Idai.

Blankets and quilts donated by the Chinese community in Zimbabwe are being unloaded on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The goods are to help Zimbabwean victims affected by Cyclone Idai. [Photo: China Plus]

Food, purified water, blankets, tents…

A bunch of relief goods that’s worth 200-thousand U.S. dollars have been donated by the Chinese Embassy and Chinese community in Zimbabwe, to help those badly hit by Cyclone Idai.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the goods, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun says China stands ready to support Zimbabwe to go through the difficult times.

Guo Shaochun suggests, besides the emergency aid to help relieve the disaster triggered by cyclone Idai, more assistance is coming from China to help with Zimbabwe’s development.

“In the next few days, the Chinese government will provide more assistance through official channels. We will donate funds and 10,165 tons of rice to the Zimbabwean people and drill another 500 boreholes for Zimbabwe this year. We hope all these will help Zimbabwean people to gain strength and confidence to overcome the difficulty.”

Local Chinese communities such as the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe, the Chinese Federation of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe-China Business Association have contributed to the donations.

The SinoZim Wildlife Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting wild animals in Zimbabwe, has also dispatched three inflatable rescue boats to the affected areas to help those who are still trapped.

Li Manjuan, Vice President of the Zimbabwe-China Business Association, says the Chinese community in Zimbabwe is eager to make their own contributions the disaster relief efforts in spite of the economic hardship.

She says more relief goods are pouring in and will be delivered to the disaster-stricken areas in the coming days.

“The Chinese community, be it enterprises or individuals, is undergoing a hard time as the local economy is still sluggish. Yet they are actively making donations. We’ve collected several truckloads of goods in four days’ time. And more donations are coming.”

Martin Rushwaya, permanent secretary of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, has expressed his gratitude for the help from China.

He says the donations are due to relieve the sufferings of the victims.

"These donation of various assortments of food items and blankets by the Chinese embassy in conjunction with the Chinese business community will go a long way in alleviating the plight of the victims of the cyclone. As the saying goes: a friend in need is a friend indeed. The Chinese have demonstrated that they are friend at a time of our need and as such friends indeed to Zimbabwe."

The first batch of relief goods has been delivered to the cyclone-affected areas.

Cyclone Idai has killed at least 98 people in Zimbabwe. The death toll is likely to rise as hundreds are still missing.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is visiting the worst-hit areas, leading the rescue operations.