Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi participated in an online mini-summit for the leaders of the African Union Council to discuss efforts to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Attendees included South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, current president of the AU, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Fakih.
Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Radi said that the meeting discussed the impact of the coronavirus on African countries and ways to tackle the crisis with international partners.
The gatherers agreed to establish an African fund to provide the necessary resources for this effort, Radi added. They also agreed to form an AU task group that would be aimed at exchanging expertise and information throughout Africa in the coronavirus fight.
They stressed the importance of increasing production of chemical sanitizers and disinfectants in various African countries and launching awareness campaigns on the virus aimed at the African people.
According to the Egyptian presidency statement, the leaders underscored the importance of boosting efforts and coordination among AU agencies and various African regional economic groups. They also called for the establishment of a taskforce consisting of African minsters of transport to arrange the transport of medical equipment and preventive gear throughout the continent.
Moreover, Sisi proposed before the G20 the easing African debt payments, revealed Badi.
