STORY: China provides emergency food assistance to Zimbabwe
DATELINE: June 29, 2023
LENGTH: 0:03:38
LOCATION: Harare
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the ribbon cutting ceremony
2. various of rice bags
3. Chinese ambassador handing over a bag of rice to a beneficiary
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): PAUL MAVIMA, Zimbabwe's Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare

STORYLINE:

China on Wednesday handed emergency food assistance to Zimbabwe to aid vulnerable members of society.
   
The donation of over 1,000 tons of rice and 1,000 tons of wheat provided under the Chinese Government's emergency food assistance program was officially handed over to Zimbabwe's Minister of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare, Paul Mavima, by the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, at a ceremony held in Harare.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
"Today's handover ceremony of the Chinese Government's emergency food assistance once again demonstrates our brotherly relations as well as our common aspiration in pursuing food security."
   
The donation will benefit orphanages, institutions that house elderly persons, people with disabilities and other vulnerable members.
   
Zhou noted that apart from food assistance, China has firmly supported Zimbabwe in creating a self-sufficient food-surplus economy through initiatives such as the drilling of boreholes in rural areas, the establishment of an Agricultural Demonstration Center, the construction of dams and irrigation projects and other agricultural cooperation programs.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
"China is committed to helping Zimbabwe to develop its agricultural facilities, enhancing capacities and investments in Zimbabwe."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ZHOU DING, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe
"We will continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest here for Zimbabwe's sustainable and high-quality development in the agricultural sector."

Mavima commended China for the donation, saying the food assistance demonstrates the cordial relations between China and Zimbabwe. It dovetails with Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy on social protections to ensure food security and sufficiency for all households.
   
He acknowledged China's role in assisting Zimbabwe over the years in its quest to achieve food security by supporting national resilience programs in the local agricultural sector.
   
SOUNDBITE 4 (English): PAUL MAVIMA, Zimbabwe's Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare
"The good thing about resilience is that it removes the vulnerability, and we don't have to go back and say can you help us again with food assistance because we will be producing our own food."

Michael Mukwaiwa, Superintendent at Harare-based Hupenyu Hutsva Children's Home, one of the benefiting institutions from the food aid, said providing food to the institution will improve the quality of children's lives.

"This donation is in line with our objectives as a children's home. Taking care of children is more of providing food and shelter, so with regard to food, we have been covered," he said.

The donation is among a series of programs undertaken by China to assist Zimbabwe, including medical, educational and social support.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harare.
(XHTV)