PARIS, March 31 (Xinhua) -- "We have to rebuild our national and European sovereignty" amid the coronavirus crisis and achieve "full independence" in the production of protective face masks by the end of this year, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday while visiting a surgical mask factory near Angers in western France.
In January, France had a mask production capacity of six million units per week, while the government estimated the need at 40 million per week. Earlier in March, all stocks and production of masks were requisitioned across the country. Deliveries of masks were organized with priority given to frontline health workers.
"By the end of April, we will reach (the capacity of producing) over 15 million per week and we will continue with further efforts," said Macron. "I hope that by the end of the year we will obtain full and entire independence."
"This crisis has taught us that for certain goods, certain products, certain materials, their strategic character requires that we have European sovereignty," he said.
Macron also announced that four billion euros (4.4 billion U.S. dollars) have been allocated to the national health agency to buy coronavirus medicines, masks and ventilators.
