COVID-19: Kenyatta urges African counterparts to bank on innovative youth in combating pandemic
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged his African counterparts to tap into the innovative abilities of the continent’s youth in combating Covid-19.
Kenyatta said the youth will play an important role as African governments roll out Covid-19 mitigation and recovery strategies.
The President said the youth are Africa’s biggest resource, adding that young people’s creative minds and immense energy can be utilized to boost Coronavirus response measures.
“I also wish to reiterate that the biggest resource at our disposal is our own people and especially the youth.
“Indeed, we need to harness the digital revolution and innovation witnessed during this pandemic as a catalyst for post COVID-19 economic revival, and which is key in creation of jobs for our youth,” President Kenyatta said.
The President spoke Thursday evening at State House, Nairobi, during the 5th virtual meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union (AU).
The meeting was convened by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who is the current AU Chairperson.
It was also attended by Chairpersons of the African Union Regional Economic Communities (AU RECs).
The meeting was held to assess the effectiveness of the joint continental strategy on the pandemic.
It received a progress report from the AU Covid-19 Special Envoys that cooperation among African countries has helped slow down the spread of Coronavirus on the continent.
“I am happy to note that the quick action by the Chair, coupled with the solidarity and concerted efforts demonstrated by the AU Member States, AU RECS, Regional Mechanisms, African Business Leaders and the Private Sector, have so far slowed down the spread of the virus and averted a full blown catastrophe in Africa,” he said.
Kenyatta revisited the recent Inter-Sessional Summit of the Organization of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
He hosted the Summit in his capacity as President-in-Office of the institution.
He said the meeting helped consolidate the developing world’s voice on Coronavirus response and recovery.
The AU COVID-19 Special Envoys panel was constituted by the AU Bureau on 12 April 2020.
It comprises Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa, Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Ivorian banker Tidjane Thiam.
There are other members of the panel, whose mandate is to advance Africa’s pandemic agenda in multilateral fora, mobilise resources for Coronavirus response and expand Africa’s access to Covid-19 response supplies in the competitive global marketplace.
The other members are former President of the African Development Bank Donald Kaberuka and Prof Mbaya Kakwenda of the DR Congo.
In their report to the Bureau, the envoys said the African continent had managed to consolidate a Coronavirus response kitty of $60 million on its own and put in place a stimulus package equivalent to 0.68 percent of the continent’s GDP.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala made the presentation on behalf of her colleagues.
She said the amounts were inadequate and assured the Heads of State that through innovation, flexibility and equity in access to the global COVID-19 response resources, the continent has the potential to raise much more.
-0- PANA DJ/AR 12June2020
