US intelligence report on origins of COVID-19 misleading, says Ethiopian official

ADDIS ABABA - The US intelligence agency's report on the origins of COVID-19 is misleading and can be cited as a showcase for politicizing scientific issues, a senior Ethiopian ruling party official has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Bikila Hurisa, head of Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party's public and international relations, said the origins tracing of COVID-19 should be left to neutral and professional researchers, dismissing the matter as a non-intelligence issue.

"COVID-19 origin(s) tracing is a scientific endeavor and process. Let the world's scientific researchers come together, stand independently and conduct an in-depth scientific investigation to find out the real origins of COVID-19," he said.

"Finger pointing and blaming one another will neither solve the problem of the origin(s) of COVID-19 nor halt the spread of the pandemic," Hurisa said, highlighting that no country will benefit from such a blame game.

China has managed to contain the spread of the virus in a short period of time, thanks to the country's commitment, leadership and governance, Hurisa said, adding that this was a major contribution China has made to the world amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that the world can learn from China's success in putting COVID-19 under control, not least its strong leadership and effective supply of medical equipment and vaccines.

Ethiopia has received much help, such as medical supplies and technical assistance, from China to fight the pandemic, Hurisa said.

"We are looking into China's experience in how to successfully prevent COVID-19, (and in its) vaccination process and post-pandemic efforts to regenerate the economy," noted the official.

With the support of the Chinese government, Ethiopia has reduced the risk of possible deaths as well as economic and social crises, he said.