AU appoints 4 special envoys to raise funds against Covid-19

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed four special envoys to mobilize the international community to help Africa overcome the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Three men and one woman, all of whom have held government positions in their respective countries as well as in international institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank.

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They were appointed by Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president who is also the current president of the African Union , and have already earned a nickname: "the fantastic four". Four specialists in financial matters, and public aid, experienced in the mysteries of international institutions, such as the IMF, the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

The best known of them is the Rwandan Donald Kaberuka, former boss of the AfDB and whose address book is said to be worth gold. The others are not to be outdone. The Ivorian Tidjane Thiam headed the second Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, while the South African Trevor Manuel was repeatedly minister under Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. He even has a tipped time to head the IMF. As for the Nigerian, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, former director of the World Bank, she is reputed to know on the tips of her fingers this institution where she had started in 1982.

The four are responsible for coordinating the aid that the international community has promised to Africa . The continent will experience its first recession this year in a quarter of a century. The World Bank even dreading a food crisis in some countries.

►Also read: Albert Zeufack (World Bank): "A food crisis could add to the recession in Africa"

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• African Union
• Africa
• Coronavirus