Gaborone, Botswana- On May 7th, 2025 UNFPA signed a Completion Certificate for the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund (SSCAF) project with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Botswana, marking a significant milestone in the collaborative journey between the governments of China and Botswana and UNFPA, to improve sexual reproductive health of women and girls in Botswana, and ensure continuity and availability of reproductive health services and commodities in emergencies.

Implemented with the Ministry of Health, the project generously supported by China Aid, made a substantial impact and contributed to the prevention, control, and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and continuity and availability of sexual reproductive services and commodities in emergencies, as well as to the protection of healthcare workers.

When addressing the media, the Chinese Ambassador Fan Yong reiterated the commitment of China towards assisting developing countries and the aim to expand the efforts further.

The agreement between the Government of China and UNFPA was initially signed in February 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this agreement, China donated USD 500,000 through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (formerly the South- South Cooperation Assistance Fund) to UNFPA.

This funds, according to the UNFPA Head of Office Ms. Tlangelani Shilubane-Pietersen, were used to purchase personal protective equipment for 5,500 health workers across Botswana during the challenging COVID-19 period. Additionally, 87,000 women and girls benefitted from the reproductive health commodities procured to prevent unintended pregnancies.

"Together with the Ministry of Health, we built a resilient health response system that addressed the needs of Batswana during this difficult time. We also ensured that women continued to thrive despite the challenges they faced," Shilubane-Pietersen said. 

Following respective verifications, both the Chinese Government and UNFPA have jointly announced that the project has been successfully completed, achieving its intended goals.

This successful project not only demonstrates the tangible impact of collaborative South-South efforts but also paves the way for future opportunities. It reaffirms UNFPA’s strategic role in fostering development cooperation among partners. With continued support from the Government of China, UNFPA is now well-positioned to deepen partnerships for sustainable development and improved health outcomes worldwide.