WATCH Covid-19: The worst is still to come for Africa says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted that although the number of Covid-19 infections in Africa is still lower compared to other countries, the expectation is that the worst is still to come.

Ramaphosa addressed the first Extraordinary Inter-Sessional Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) this afternoon and said that infections are expected to rise with dire social and economic consequences.

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“The outbreak of the virus has caused a great deal of damage to economies on the continent and is beginning to stretch public health systems.

“We have urgent needs as a continent with regard to medical supplies, testing equipment and facilities, laboratories, personal protective equipment and ventilators,” he said.

He explained that the African Union (AU) developed a strategy to address the challenge of Covid-19.

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“Through the five regional coronavirus task forces we have established in all five regions of the continent, we are working across national borders to oversee screening, detection and diagnosis, infection control and clinical management of infected people and to drive mass communication and community engagement,” he said.

He said a Covid-19 Response Fund was established as a key intervention to mobilise and direct resources towards the continent’s response to the challenge.

“The AU has been at the forefront of mobilising international support for both a health response to the pandemic and a comprehensive economic stimulus package for Africa.

“As part of the economic stimulus we have called for debt relief for countries that are indebted.

“We call on the OACPS to support the AU’s call for a two-year debt standstill and a plan for the restructuring of both private and bilateral debt,” said Ramaphosa.

He announced the AU’s support of the appeal to the International Monetary Fund for special drawing rights allocations to provide additional liquidity to countries in need.

“We support the initiative by the World Health Organisation together with many governments, non-profit organisations and industry leaders to speed up the development and production of vaccines and therapeutics, and to ensure that they are distributed speedily and equitably across the globe.

“Through a decisive, effective and collective response to this global crisis, we will not only be safeguarding the lives, health and well-being of our people, but we will also be proving the relevance and value of bodies like the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States,” he said.

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