When: Wednesday, 11th January 2023 starting at 8:00 am.

Where: Small Conference Hall 3, AU New Complex, African Union HQ and the African

Village.

Why: The Chinese Foreign Minister will have discussions with African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat. The two leaders are expected to hold bilateral talks on various issues before proceeding to the Small Conference Hall 3 to have a Strategic Dialogue with the Senior Officials from AU Commission as well as Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. After the meeting, a press conference will take place at the same venue).

About Africa (CDC) Headquarters Project

At the 2018 Beijing Summit and the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China - Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing, the Government of China further expressed its commitment to support the building of the Africa CDC HQ, and the African leaders welcomed with appreciation and committed to support for its realization.

Located in the African Village, south of Addis Ababa, the new site covers an area of 90,000m2 with a total construction area of nearly 40,000m2. When completed the building will include an emergency operation centre, a data centre, laboratory, resource centre, briefing rooms, training centre, conference centre, offices, and expatriate apartments, all to be constructed, furnished and equipped by the Government of China.

In accordance with a number of agreements concluded between the AU and the Government of China, the AU Commission and the Ministry of Commerce of the People`s Republic of China have signed the Implementation Agreement on the Africa CDC HQs building project in July 2020.

The headquarters building is expected to become one of the best-equipped centres for disease control in Africa, allowing Africa CDC to play its role as the technical institution coordinating disease prevention, surveillance and control in the continent in partnership with the national public health institutes and ministries of health of Member States.

Representatives of the media, are invited to cover the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Qin GANG. Journalists should arrive early, to facilitate the management of their participation during the visit.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Afrah Thabit | Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: Your Email Thabitma@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.