African Union Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa says only a unified and coordinated response by African governments and the private sector can help the continent in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To achieve this, the continent’s leading business entities will have to be a catalytic proponent,” Ramaphosa said while addressing leading African business owners and various heads of state during a virtual meeting on Wednesday.

“The continent’s private sector is well placed to assist in many of our most pressing challenges. Combining our resources, we can implement the screening, testing and contact tracing programmes that have proved effective in limiting the spread of the virus,” said the President.

He said the business community can redirect manufacturing infrastructure towards the production of essential medical products and also collaborate to ensure smooth supply of existing essential goods such as food and pharmaceuticals.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that the AU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent will be driven by principles of pan-African unity, solidarity and coordination.

International support
The President said he had addressed letters to numerous world leaders, making a strong plea for international support from multilateral and bilateral partners for Africa’s COVID-19 strategy.

“In general, the response has been positive, with various partners making pledges, offering debt relief measures and providing concrete support in the form of medical supplies,” he added.

As part of efforts to mobilise international support for Africa in the fight against the pandemic, President Ramaphosa appointed Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, Dr Donald Kaberuka of Rwanda, Mr Tidjane Thiam of Senegal and Mr Trevor Manuel of South Africa as Special Envoys of the African Union.

They are tasked with soliciting financial support from G20 countries, international organisations (including the UN and its respective agencies), the international donor community and the African as well as international business communities.

President Ramaphosa further appealed to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank and other regional institutions to use all available instruments to help combat COVID-19 in Africa.

By Olajumoke Adeleke