BRAZZAVILLE: The Republic of the Congo took delivery Wednesday of 100,000 doses of Chinese-made coronavirus vaccines, 10 days before a presidential vote in the country heavily indebted to Beijing.

Donated Sinopharm vaccines “prove that China remains alongside developing countries to fight Covid-19 together,” Chinese ambassador Ma Fulin told reporters at the airport in capital Brazzaville.

Oil-producing Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is deeply in debt.

One of its major creditors, Beijing last month cancelled $28 million that Congo owed and offered a further $15 million to support development in the country.