Coronavirus: African leaders discuss role of regional blocs in pandemic response

30 Avril 2020

Nairobi, Kenya, April 30  (Infosplusgabon) – The African Union's executive branch has convened its fourth Summit on Wednesday to discuss the management of the coronavirus pandemic seeking to encourage the deepening of relations between the states and the regional economic blocs.

The African leaders who attended a virtual Summit of the AU Bureau, the top management organ of the continental organization, called for the pooling of resources, personnel and effective strategies to combat the pandemic.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said countries should make use of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as enablers of effective monitoring and implementation of continental response to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

President Kenyatta said enhanced cross-border communication will help slowdown the spread of the virus.

“I just think that if we were to defeat this enemy, we need to really be able to ensure that through our RECs we are able to communicate, to work together, to be able to deal with cross-border issues because unless we fight together, we will lose together,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking during the meeting of the Bureau chaired by the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyatta urged African countries to collaborate more in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic through information sharing and pooling of intervention resources.

The virtual meeting of the AU Bureau of the Assembly was attended by the Chairpersons of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

Other leaders who participated in the meeting included Presidents Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egypt), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Idriss Deby (Chad), Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC), Ali Bongo Ondimba (Gabon), Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali) and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat.

“I want to say that we need to be able to work together and to pool whatever little resources we have and show that we are also capable of coming together to defeat this virus.

“I also believe that at the end of the day it is going to take each and everyone of us individually and collectively to win this war and not necessarily depending 100 percent on our friends from the outside world coming to support us,” President Kenyatta said.

He said African leaders need to understand that countries the world over are overwhelmed by the pandemic pointing out that even the richest nations are struggling to meet demands brought about by Covid-19.

“We are facing financial, material and structural constraints. However, we must also face up to the reality that resources are finite everywhere and even the richest countries today are struggling in the wake of this global pandemic."

So far, African countries led by South Africa and Egypt have pledged US$61 million for the fight against the virus on the continent.

The Kenyan Head of State said there was need to encourage more African nations to contribute to the kitty so as to scale up continental interventions.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/RTF/GABON2020

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