Congo, CAR Presidents call for increased global solidarity to fight coronavirus
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - President Faustin Archange Touadéra of Central African Republic and his Congolese counterpart, Denis Sassou Nguesso, on Wednesday called for the strengthening of international solidarity to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the Public Radio in Brazzaville announced on Thursday.
"We call for the strengthening of international solidarity for a collective and effective response to the pandemic," the two heads of state said, stressing the "extreme seriousness" of the disease.
Touadéra and Sassou N'Guesso welcomed the first steps taken by bilateral, multilateral, and private partners in favour of Africa, and called for "greater international mobilization".
"The Central African Republic, like other countries, is suffering the full brunt of this health situation. CAR is a landlocked country, and we have infected people coming in from outside. That is why we have set up a crisis committee. Based on the realities, we have taken measures to protect the population," the CAR president told journalists.
"This pandemic also has economic and social consequences. The entire sub-region must develop strategies to combat it. It is a question of solidarity," added Touadéra who was on a working visit to Congo.
The two Heads of State also welcomed the "mobilization" of the African Union and regional organizations in Central Africa in the search for solutions to mitigate the impact of this disease on the population and called for the strengthening of response actions.
To date, CAR has 16 cases of COVID-19 including ten cured, while Congo has 186 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 6 deaths, and 16 cured.
The CAR President commended the role played by his Congolese counterpart in conflict resolution in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), in the countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and at the level of the AU High-Level Committee on Libya.
"President Sassou N'Guesso was a mediator in the Central African crisis. At a time when the Central African Republic is trying to get out of this situation, it is our duty to always inform him and take his opinion and advice, with regard to the progress of the peace agreements we are implementing," explained Touadéra.
For his part, the Congolese Head of State commended the efforts of his Central African counterpart in the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR.
He also renewed his appeal to signatories of the Agreement for its "full and effective" implementation.
The Congolese and Central African Presidents reaffirmed their determination to consolidate the "deep" relations of friendship, fraternity, and cooperation between the two countries.
-0- PANA MB/JSG/SOC/MTA/AR 23Apr2020
