Amid Rising COVID Infection Rates, Kenya Looks to China For Help in Securing Vaccine Supplies

A young girl reacts to a nasal swab during a mass testing for COVID-19 coronavirus provided free of charge by the Kenyan government in the Kibera slum in Nairobi on October 18, 2020. TONY KARUMBA / AFP

President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Health Ministry to open talks with China to secure supplies of a future COVID-19 vaccine. Until now, Kenya had planned to depend on the global vaccine alliance known as Covax but amid a new wave of infections and mounting concerns that wealthier countries will hoard the first batch of vaccine supplies, President Kenyatta apparently wants to expand his options.

Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe made the announcement earlier this week after a National Emergency Response Committee meeting, chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The minister also said he would welcome Chinese pharmaceutical companies to test COVID-19 vaccines in Kenya.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths

You Might Like

The First COVAX Vaccines From China Arrive in Africa

Some of the first vaccines provided by China through the global COVAX alliance have arrived in Africa. An unspecified quantity of Sinopharm jabs was delivered over the weekend. The U.S., however, remains the ...

Morocco Isn’t Going to Rely Only on China For a COVID-19 Vaccine

With more than 65,000 COVID-19 infections, Morocco is one of Africa’s major hot spots in the ongoing pandemic, so it’s not surprising that the government is moving quickly to position ...

Global Times: Africa and Latin America Will Prefer a Chinese-Made COVID-19 Vaccine

Chinese propaganda outlets are moving to frame the narrative that Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines are better suited for developing countries compared to those made by U.S. and European organizations.  “African and some Latin American ...

Alibaba’s Formidable Logistics Operation Teams Up With Ethiopian Airlines to Deliver C19 Vaccines Around the World

China is turning to Alibaba, the massive Chinese e-commerce company, to help with the logistics in the distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines to countries throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.  Cainiao ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP