Coronavirus: AU Appoints Okonjo Iweala ,Others As Special Envoys To Support Economic Recovery

The African Union(AU) has appointed special envoys to mobilize international economic support geared towards addressing the economic challenges in the continent, caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Those appointed by AU’s Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa are: Okonjo Iweala(global economist) , Donald Kaberuka(former president of African Development Bank), Tidjane Thiam( a reputable business man) and Trevor Manuel( South Africa’s former finance minister).

Ramaphosa, according to the statement on Sunday, said that the appointees had what it takes to achieve the objectives, and “ensure that the pandemic is contained and does not result in the collapse of the already ailing economies and financial systems on the continent.”

He stressed that the negative impact caused by the pandemic has led to serious hardship for the continent, adding that a financial intervention was crucial at the moment.

“In the light of the devastating socio-economic and political impact of the pandemic on African countries these institutions need to support African economies that are facing serious economic challenges with a comprehensive stimulus package for Africa, including deferred debt and interest payment.

“The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has been global in both scale and reach, and this necessitates coordinated international action to capacitate all countries to respond effectively but most particularly developing countries that continue to shoulder a historical burden of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment,” he said.

While lauding the international community for their assistance, the AU’s chairperson called for more support so as to establish a strong health care system on the continent.

“The sentiments expressed in recent letters written to the G20 by a group of world leaders and team of esteemed economists underscores the importance of boistering health systems in poorer countries; this can only be done with the support of the international community,” he added.