“We have 25 percent of the disease burden in the world in Africa, but we are producing only three percent of the medicine we are consuming. This partnership [between Africa and China] can help us to strengthen the capacity of Africa to produce medicines which are not under patent,” Michel Sidibé, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations said during an interview with CGTN’s the Point with Liu Xin (@thepointwithlx).

His comments came after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced eight major initiatives with African countries on Sept. 3, 2018, at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

In the field of healthcare, President Xi said that China plans to upgrade 50 medical and health aid programs in Africa, including flagship projects such as the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and China-Africa Friendship Hospitals.

“He (President Xi) was not just talking in a rhetorical term. He said we have some diseases which we need to really work together to end and AIDS was one of them. It means that in the future for Africa this partnership will help us to be practical and richer, and people won’t be left behind,” Sidibé said.

In the fight against AIDS, Sidibé said Africa has achieved a lot over the years through global solidarity with joint efforts from civil society, political leadership, the private sector, and manufacturers.

“A few years back, people were dying, lying on their bed, no hope, no medicine, nothing. Today we can say that we have more people on treatment than people waiting for treatment.” But Sidibé cautioned that Africa still has miles to go.

“We have miles to go because today we are faced with a youth complacency. Young people don’t protect themselves.” Sidibé pointed out that the narrative about AIDS should be transformed into a new prevention one, and the fight against stigma and discrimination should be continued.

During the interview, Sidibé spoke highly of the role of the first ladies’ in helping Africa translate policies into practical action in healthcare. He said their advocacy has been making a big difference for breaking the silence around difficult issues.

“I have traveled with the first lady of China and many other first ladies; But I want to say that I was always impressed, going to universities, mobilizing young people making them soldiers for prevention, going back to the community working to help in villages where people are in need of help.”

As for future cooperation between China and Africa, Sidibé hoped that these two big parts of the world could be more inclusive, bringing young people to work together better, to leverage China as a powerhouse for helping Africa to fight poverty, to transform society and make it better for the majorities of Africans and Chinese.

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