Coronavirus: Igad member countries set up prevention fund

Coronavirus disinfection operation in Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2020. REUTERS / Baz Ratner

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Members of Igad, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, gathered on Monday for an emergency summit on the coronavirus by videoconference. As the pandemic gradually spreads across the continent, the seven countries of East Africa and the Horn are very worried.

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With our regional correspondent in Nairobi, Sébastien Németh

President in office of Igad, the Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok, opened the debates of this summit like no other by videoconference. The seven nations have put their differences aside to deal with the most urgent. “ The world was not prepared. Cooperation is the most important thing today, "said Somali President Mohamed Farmajo.

Igad has decided to open a control and prevention fund. For the Djiboutian president, Ismaël Omar Guelleh, it will be " a precious sponsor to strengthen the mechanisms of alert, watch and anticipation ". We do not yet know the amount, but during the last G20, the Ethiopian head of government had estimated at 150 billion dollars, the needs of Africa to fight against the coronavirus.

Towards European aid

Igad is also asking the international community for debt relief and access to credit. She is also looking for help to build local infrastructure and limit the import of medical equipment. Kenya has already planned to relaunch its mask manufacturing.

The regional finance and health ministers will meet soon to assess needs. The European Union Commission has already answered the call, announcing the preparation of an aid package. Time is running out. Kenya, for example , which has at least 50 cases of coronavirus, is afraid to register nearly 5,000 within two weeks.

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  • Coronavirus
  • Ethiopia
  • Somalia
  • Djibouti
  • Uganda
  • Sudan
  • South Sudan
  • Kenya

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