Tema, March 1, GNA – The European Union (EU) has given assurance of its commitment to support a fully-fledged African health sovereignty for the continent to respond to future public health emergencies.
It said it will support a common agenda for manufacturing vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and health products in Africa.
A communique issued at the end of the sixth EU-African Union (AU) summit held in Brussels said; “We will also support investment in production capacities, voluntary technology transfers as well as strengthening of the regulatory framework to enable equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.”
The co-chaired by Mr. Charles Michel, President of the European Council and President Macky Sall of Senegal and AU Chairperson underlined the urgency of the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery of the global economy.
The two pledged to engage constructively towards an agreement on a comprehensive WTO response to the pandemic.
In response to the macroeconomic effects of the COVID crisis on African economies, the EU will support the Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.
“We also call for ambitious voluntary contributions, by channeling part of the recently allocated Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), to achieve the total global ambition of at least USD 100 billion liquidity support to countries most in need, of which a major part should benefit Africa.
“We welcome the USD55 billion that has been pledged already from the new allocation of SDRs, of which several EU Member States (Team Europe) have so far pledged USD13 billion and encourage more EU member states to consider contributing to this global effort” the said.
It added that African institutions, in consultation with national authorities, will be involved in the use of these SDRs to support the continent’s recovery.
“We will seek to ensure increased spending through international programmes in the fields of health, climate, biodiversity, education, and security to facilitate economic recovery.
We agree to examine lending instruments for sustainable investment projects in priority sectors. While enhancing our capacity to face these challenges, we agree that recovery investments should continue building resilience and more sustainable economies to achieve our long-term priorities.”
GNA