The Czech Republic helps to Africa
14.01.2021 / 12:56 | Aktualizováno: 29.01.2021 / 23:53
During last year, the Czech Republic has assisted with managing the coronavirus pandemic in the countries of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, which are of strategic importance for the peace and security in Europe incl. the Czech Republic. One of consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to economic and social hardships, is the problem of safety. The 100 million crowns allocated by the Czech government was to provide health care assistance to the countries mentioned.
The Czech representative offices in cooperation with selected African countries prepared proposals for ten projects to deliver medical facilities and equipments to Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zambia. "Investment into aid in Africa is an opportunity to strengthen the reputation of Czech companies in markets outside of Europe and to establish long-term business partnerships,“ commented on the details of the Africa Programme Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček. The pandemic is exacerbating the situation in a number of African countries which have long been destabilised by ongoing conflicts and are among the originators or transiting countries of migration to the EU. Therefore, the IHR has also paid attention to the countries of the central Sahel, where the humanitarian situation has been deteriorated rapidly during 2020. The Czech Republic has spent 30 million CZK for humanitarian projects in Mali and Niger, where non-profit organizations ADRA and People in Need help the rural population with their livelihoods.
UNICEF and the ICRC are also trying to combat hunger and child malnutrition in this area, to which the Czech Republic has provided an additional 30 million crowns for concrete assistance in the field. But the spread of the new coronavirus has also led to an increase in misinformation and conspiracy theories. "Promoting the dissemination of and access to objective and independent information is important everywhere. It serves not only to combat the consequences of a pandemic, but in general to develop and stability society in a given state. That is why we have supported, among other things, radio broadcasting in the Sahel countries," added the head of the Czech diplomacy. MOFA has through the renowned Swiss foundation Hirondelle, contributed CZK 2.7 million to an independent radio broadcasting in the most destabilised areas of the Sahel, Niger and Burkina Faso. As a result of the political events in Ethiopia and their immediate effects on the surrounding countries, including the increase in refugees, assistance was also targeted at the Horn of Africa. Through the UNHCR, the Czech Republic also contributed 10 million crowns to protect women against sexual violence in the Ethiopian refugee camps during uprising. The Czech Republic has sent aid of CZK 5 million to the people of Sudan affected by the floods.