As Beata Matusiková, the economic and business diplomat at the Czech Embassy in Abuja, explained: “In Nigeria, as elsewhere in Africa, economic diplomacy is shaking hands with the necessary development and humanitarian assistance from the Czech government. We are very pleased that the cooperation of domestic Czech companies with the Nigerian Air Force has not stopped even in the difficult conditions caused by the pandemic on both sides. And that, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Czech companies, we have also made some contribution to strengthening local health care capacities in a country whose size and population place great demands on the local health care system in the current crisis. We especially appreciate the helpfulness and reactivity of Czech companies, in the first place on the part of Linet, which supplied 10 hospital beds free of charge, but also on the part of LOM Prague repair factory, which provided personal protective equipment from their stocks and Aero Vodochody, Defcon and Excalibur International, which has helped with logistics so generously and efficiently. ”

The Czech Ambassador to Nigeria H.E. Marek Skolil recalled the importance of long-standing ties between Czech suppliers and service providers with the Nigerian Air Force: "The Czech government greatly appreciates the long-term cooperation with Nigerian Air Forces in their fight against Boko Haram and the Islamic State. In today's world, it is no exaggeration to say that Nigerian pilots are fighting for us and for our safety. "

The material provided responded to a request from the medical section of the Nigerian Air Force, which operates medical facilities in the security-unstable north of the country that are also accessible to the civilian population. The gift is also a gesture appreciating the dedicated work of military doctors during a pandemic. The northern regions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have not only been the target of attacks by radical Islamists in recent years, but are also increasingly facing banditry and kidnappings as their socio-economic situation deteriorates. It is no coincidence that people prefer to look for hospitals and medical facilities run by the military.

In the coming months, the Czech government's humanitarian aid to countries that are having difficulty coping with the pandemic on the continent will follow the shipment of Czech aid to Nigeria from corporate sources because their health infrastructure does not have adequate capacity. Czech government assistance is part of the efforts of EU member states to collectively and coordinate the mobilization of anti-crisis resources for the African continent within the joint initiative "Team Europe".

Written by Beata Matusikova, Economic and Trade Counsellor, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Nigeria