The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $27.4 million grant to boost the efforts of the African Union (AU) in mobilising a continental response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Development Diaries observed that the approval came following April 22 meeting of extended Bureau of AU Conference of Heads of State and Government with Africa’s private sector, chaired by the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the Chairperson of the AU.
It was noted that at the meeting the President of AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, pledged strong support for the AU Covid-19 initiative.
Adesina said, ‘With this financing package, we are reaffirming our strong commitment to a coordinated African response in the face of Covid-19. Most importantly, we are sending a strong signal that, collectively, the continent can address the pandemic in Africa, which is straining health systems and causing unprecedented socio-economic impacts on the continent’.
It was also stated that the bulk of the bank’s grant for this operation will be shared this way: about 26.03 million dollars will help to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to respond to public health emergencies across the continent, while the balance of $1.37 million will be a contribution to the AU Covid-19 Response Fund.
Source: Premium Times
Photo source: Paul Kagame
