UNITED NATIONS — A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Aug 13 said that China will enhance assistance to help the African countries accelerate development and enhance the capacity to address public health emergencies.

Liu Jieyi, China’s permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on the global response to the Ebola virus disease.

Noting the prevention and control of the epidemic has registered major progress, Liu said the outbreak has “severely shocked the economics of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and other western African countries.”

“The international community should draw lessons from the epidemic and focus on the post-Ebola recovery and reconstruction of the affected countries,” said he.

The envoy called on the international community to accelerate poverty alleviation and development in Africa, so as to lay a solid, material foundation for the prevention of the recurrence of the Ebola epidemic.

He also urged the international community to help the African countries establish and improve their public health system in a long-term vision, adding that UN agencies and international financial organizations should enhance coordination and form synergy.

“For the next stage, China will, in light of the specific needs of the affected countries, enhance its assistance to these countries in terms of healthcare system, production capacity cooperation, infrastructure building and human resources development so as to help the African countries accelerate development, enhance their capacity to address public health emergencies,” said Liu.

“China highly values the health and well-being of the African people and is ready to join hands with the international community to make greater contribution to the peace and development in Africa,” he said.

In combating Ebola, China has provided four batches of assistance to 13 countries in and around the affected areas with a total amount of $120 million.

So far, China has sent over 1,200 medical staffers and experts to the affected countries, treated more than 800 patients, and trained some 13,000 medical workers for Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and their neighboring countries.

Most recently, China has pledged to donate an extra $5 million to the UN Ebola Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund to support the recovery process of the affected areas.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Aug 10 wrapped up a visit to three West African countries worst hit by Ebola, saying China will cooperate with Africa in reducing poverty and realizing development after defeating the epidemic.