ADDIS ABABA - A batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines, donated by the Chinese government to Ethiopia, arrived here on Tuesday.

The doses were received at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Zhao Zhiyuan, Ethiopia Minister of Health, Lia Tadesse and Birtukan Ayano, State Minister of Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"China is the first to provide Ethiopia with vaccine aid through the bilateral inter-governmental channel, which speaks volumes of the profound traditional friendship between the two countries," Zhao told reporters.