• The IGAD secretariat was tasked to formulate appropriate response programmes that will be discussed by the leaders.
• The Heads of States of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan in a teleconference held on Monday said the move aims at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic.
Image: PSCU
Member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have resolved to establish an IGAD emergency fund to fight the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Heads of States of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia and South Sudan in a teleconference held on Monday said the move aims at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic.
"The Heads of State have tasked regional ministers of finance to carry out a comprehensive assessment with a view of establishing an IGAD emergency fund" read a statement to newsrooms.
As a result, the IGAD secretariat was tasked to formulate appropriate response programmes that will be discussed by the leaders.
"The leaders said the assessment will form the basis for joint engagement with international partners such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank Group, and the G20 for economic stimulus packages," the statement read.
The teleconference saw the leaders agree to forge a joint approach to curb the spread of the Coronavirus disease.
The main focus was on the challenges the region is facing in managing the global pandemic.
"The Heads of State tasked the IGAD Secretariat to urgently formulate a regional response to COVID-19 that adopts a whole-of-government approach. They agreed to intensify information sharing including tracking of infected persons," read part of the statement.
This will see relevant agencies enhance cooperation in border control and management, with a view of ensuring safety along common borders and guarantee the movement of cargo.
Image: PSCU
They appealed to the international community to provide support for vulnerable groups particularly refugees within IGAD countries and to support national efforts to ensure that humanitarian corridors remain open.
They further agreed to pursue joint mobilisation of financial resources from international institutions and partners.
"The region needs resources to help in combating the virus as well as in mitigating the social-economic impact of the disease. We urged the private sector to contribute more to the fight against the infectious disease," the statement said.
The Chairperson of IGAD who is also the Prime Minister of Sudan Abdalla Hamdok, President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), President Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti) participated in the teleconference.
Others were Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and President Salva Kiir (South Sudan) who was represented by vice president Riek Machar.
While briefing his counterparts on the measures Kenya is taking to curtail the spread of the virus, President Uhuru Kenyatta stated the country's willingness to assist regional nations that may require its support.
The President said it is imperative for IGAD countries to forge a common front against the global pandemic.
“My administration will do whatever is within its power and capacity to extend any support that our brothers and sisters in our neighbouring countries might require,” Uhuru said.
He also briefed the leaders on the outcomes of a teleconference of the Bureau of the African Union Heads of State and Government held on March 26.
One of the key outcomes he said was the agreement to establish a continental anti-coronavirus Africa Fund to which members of the Bureau agreed to immediately contribute USD 12.5 million as seed funding.
The bureau also agreed to contribute a further USD 4.5 million towards boosting the capacity of the African Union Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC).
Uhuru said Kenya pledged to contribute USD 2 million and USD 1 million to the Fund and the Africa CDC respectively.
The head of state further reminded IGAD member states to continue the fight against desert locust invasion even as they work to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.
He said the desert locust invasion risks plunging the region into a food crisis at a time when the world's attention is focused on dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.