Headlines: Coronavirus hostages…

Audio 03:58

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

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Several dozen or even several hundred Africans are stranded in China, in the Wuhan region, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic. Mainly students.

" The despair of orphans of the Republic, " exclaims Enquête in Dakar. “ The sentence was long awaited. It finally fell the day before yesterday. According to the President of the Republic, Macky Sall, Senegal does not have the means to repatriate its children established in Wuhan. For many Senegalese, in particular the families of the said students, this penalty is heavy and difficult to bear. Mr. Coulibaly, father of one of the students, expresses his anger. 'It's really unfortunate, he says. The President of the Republic must know that he is there thanks to the people. We are the ones paying for it. If his son had been in the same situation, he would have made efforts to repatriate him. Even Mauritania has managed to repatriate its children who were in Wuhan. It's shameful ... (...) There are only 13, he exclaims again. We find it hard to believe that Senegal is unable to take charge of them. ' "

And Survey finds that " as of yesterday, at least three African states, namely Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were able to repatriate their nationals directly to their homes. For its part, Mauritania has been able to use active diplomacy to take advantage of the repatriation of Algerians. Senegal, meanwhile, concludes the newspaper, expresses its helplessness. "

Surprise and scandal…

For the Senegalese student association in the People's Republic of China, it is incomprehension, reports Jeune Afrique : “ We are surprised by the decision of the Senegalese state. It is its responsibility to ensure the security of its citizens, on and off the territory. "

“ On social networks, this announcement also arouses misunderstanding, JA points out again. ' To say that it is impossible to repatriate the Senegalese who are in China while Morocco and Algeria do so is a scandal!' , protests a surfer, when others deem 'shameful' the fact that 'Senegal has the means to afford a regional express train but not to repatriate its sons'. "

No repatriation but financial aid

As for Guinea now, 22 students are stuck in Wuhan ... And they are going through a bad period, sighs Ledjely . Confined since China fell victim to the coronavirus, they are today threatened with lack of food. In Conakry, their repatriation is not envisaged for the moment. However, " it seems that arrangements are about to be made to help them ... financially. So there is also no question of repatriation for these Guinean students. " Our living conditions are very difficult," said Nankouman Keita, a student at Wuhan University. He says they are confined to their dorms: 'It is very difficult to find food. The stocks we had are almost finished. (…) We are awaiting financial assistance from the Guinean State so that we can buy provisions for ourselves. Because we don't know when the epidemic will end . ' "

Reassuring?

Chinese ambassador Li Jian held a press conference yesterday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, reports L'Observateur Paalga . 22 Burkinabè students are in Wuhan, where they are also confined. The representative of Beijing “ denied a rumor suggesting that these Burkinabè nationals were struggling to get supplies. The Chinese diplomat also wanted to be reassuring: " Li Jian said he was convinced, reports Observer Paalga, that his country had the capacity and the resources necessary to come to grips with the epidemic. "

Why not a common emergency plan?

Finally, wonders La Nouvelle Tribune in Benin, “ what prevents African countries from meeting and establishing in these circumstances an emergency plan with their Chinese partners for practical, adequate and immediate solutions? "Apparently," continues the Beninese online newspaper, " several factors are hindering repatriation: first, the lack of medical means and reception facilities to welcome African nationals in their respective countries. Indeed, on the spot, they should be put in isolation for two weeks, with an inherent risk of spreading on the African continent… ”

However, La Nouvelle Tribune still wonders, " should we leave our nationals in the epicenter of a global epidemic, in view of the tensions on the spot, isn't that more dangerous?" "

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