ADDIS ABABA - China on Sunday provided a donation worth about 30 million Chinese RMB (around $4.76 million) to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in support of the Union's peace building effort in that country.

Xie Xiaoyan, the newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of China to the AU, has handed over the donation to Ramtane Lamamra, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security in a ceremony held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Speaking on the occasion, Xie said China plays positive role in peace and security of the African continent. He said China continues working with the AU in the area of peace and security on the continent.

Ramtane said the donation is another contribution of China in support of AU's peace building effort in Somalia.

The Commissioner said the contribution would reinforce the effectiveness and efficiency of AMISOM.

He also commended the Chinese government for the donation and expressed hope that China would further cooperate with the AU in peace and security as well as in others areas.

The Commissioner particularly told Xinhua that he had a fruitful discussion with the Chinese Ambassador on the strategic partnership between China and the AU.

"We have covered a number of grounds including the most important issues in Africa, those governance related crisis and conflicts as well as the crisis and conflicts that we are experiencing in the Horn of Africa and that is essential issues related to Sudan and to Somalia," said the Commissioner.

"The signing of this agreement by which the Chinese government is once making yet another contribution to the peace making, and peace building effort which has been developed by the AU through AMISOM. This is indeed an important contribution in kind by China which would reinforce the effectiveness and efficiency of AMISOM by providing AMISOM with some troop protection equipment the focus being on the need for us to rise the level of comfort of protection and security of our peacekeepers and we are glad that China is on position to assist us in that effort," he noted.

Lamamra has also stated that China has been cooperating with Africa in different sectors to the development and strengthening of human and institutional capacity of the African continent.

"This is not the first contribution and certainly it is not the last one. Very symbolic is we move towards the dedication of the new office and conference complex which is donated by the government of China, one has to remind all of us this significant and steady contribution of China not only to peace and security of the continent, but also to the development and strengthening of the human and the institutional capacity of our continent," said the Commissioner.

"This is a strategic partnership that encompasses all fields of activities and our sectors," he said, adding that "as we moved more forward developing our partnership and cooperation, then there will be other achievements in the peace and security as well as in other areas."