•This comes as many countries continue to experience shortage incling Kenya which is struggling to get the second consignment of the vaccine after receiving 1.02 million doses out of the expected 3.5 million.
•The Indian-based manufacturer said the earliest they can resume exports is June.
Image: PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta has reiterated the need for an upscale on African countries' access to Covid-19 vaccines.
The President said this is critical in the recovery of the economies of the countries.
"With regard to access to vaccines, we talk about economic recovery but there can’t be any recovery without access to vaccine and Africa is desperately lacking in vaccines,” Uhuru said.
He spoke on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi in his virtual address to the summit on financing of African economies hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France, and attended by several leaders among them President Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo who is also the current Chairperson of the African Union.
This comes as many countries continue to experience shortage incling Kenya which is struggling to get the second consignment of the vaccine after receiving 1.02 million doses out of the expected 3.5 million.
The delivery of the second consignment of 2.5 million doses in May now hangs in the balance, with India struggling with a surge in cases. This has made the sole manufacturer of the AZ vaccines, the Serum Institute, to focus on satisfying the local demand.
The Indian-based manufacturer said the earliest they can resume exports is June.
Kenya has now revised the duration between the first and second dose from the initial eight to 12 weeks.
Africa CDC said the pace of vaccination is too slow and the earliest the goal of vaccinating 60 per cent of Africa's population can be met is end of 2022.
During the meeting, President Uhuru noted that the country will continue opening up its vibrant economy for private sector participation saying Kenya had strengthened its Public Private Partnership (PPP) regime.
"We commit to augment our limited fiscal space by revitalizing Public Private Partnership (PPP). In Kenya, we have put measures in place to leverage on PPPs to provide greater operational efficiency and reduce pressure on fiscal space," he said.
The President cited the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road, a PPP project financed by French investors as an example of the huge financing potential held by the private sector and invited more investors to Kenya and the continent.
"Opportunities abound for private sector investments and Joint Ventures, in virtually all sectors. To close the infrastructure and development deficits. We welcome the private sector to invest in Africa," he said.
At the same time, Uhuru welcomed ongoing efforts by development partners to cushion the continent from adverse effects of Covid-19 saying Africa needs more resources to fight the pandemic, tackle debt vulnerabilities, and address poverty among other pressing needs.
"Kenya appreciates the extra-ordinary efforts from development partners to finance economic recovery and reduce debt vulnerability," he said.
He added, "Kenya welcomes commitments from bilateral and multilateral agencies to support emerging and low-income countries in response to the Covid-19 pandemic."
Uhuru said that despite its devastation, Covid-19 presents an opportunity for African economies to bounce back stronger.
In his address, President Macron called for a change of tack in financing African development by enhancing the Special Drawing rights (SDRs) to boost the continent’s capacity to combat the Covid-19 pandemic as well as recovery efforts.
The French President also underscored the need for debt cancellation to accord African countries the requisite liquidity to build better post-Covid.
“We should turn this emergency into an opportunity to boost Africa’s economic growth,” President Macron said.
On his part, President Tshisekedi said African leaders expect a swift and bold action from the international community especially the G7 and G20 to accelerate Africa’s economic growth.