China will send 1,000 tonnes of food aid to Guinea-Bissau, which is expected to arrive at the port of the Guinean capital in the next 10 days, Guo Ce, China’s ambassador announced on Friday.
According to the Chinese embassy in Bissau, Guo said he hoped that this support would help to “solve the food security problems facing Guinea-Bissau”.
The World Food Programme representative in Guinea-Bissau, João Manja, warned on 31 January that the number of Guineans facing food insecurity could increase this year.
“In 2023, the number of food-insecure Guineans is expected to increase with more than 117,000 people suffering from hunger,” Manja said.
Guo Ce’s statement came after a meeting on Thursday with the speaker of the People’s National Assembly of Guinea-Bissau, Cipriano Cassamá, which mainly addressed the rehabilitation work of the Colinas do Boé palace, the seat of parliament.
The Chinese diplomat gave assurances that the rehabilitation would provide members of parliament with, “a better working environment and help parliament to carry out its duties,” and also hoped that the legislative elections scheduled for 4 June would be held “with normality”.
Cassamá said he hoped that the inauguration of the new members of parliament could take place in the rehabilitated parliament building, which was also originally built by China.
