DECISION ON THE REPORT ON THE AFRICAN UNION
RESPONSE ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN AFRICA
Doc. Assembly/AU/5(XXXIV)
The Assembly,
TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Executive Council on the Report on COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa and the recommendations therein;
EXPRESSES deep appreciation to H.E. Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, Chairperson of the African Union, and the members of the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union: H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, H.E. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, and H.E. Ibrahim Boubacar KeTta, President of the Republic of Mali, for providing exemplary, timely, focused and effective leadership to Africa’s response to COVID-19;
COMMENDS the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Members of the AU Commission and Staff of the African Union for the support they have provided to the Bureau of the Assembly and for implementing the decisions of the AU Policy Organs on Africa's coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
ACKNOWLEDGES the notable achievements of the African Union in response to the pandemic, including the implementation of the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for Covid-19, the establishment of the African Union Covid-19 Response Fund, the formation of an African Medicines Supplies Platform; the Partnership to Accelerate Covid-19 Testing, the appointment of African Union Special Envoys for Covid-19 Response, and the invaluable work of the newly established African Vaccines Acquisition Task Team;
COMMENDS the efforts of African Heads of State and Government whose timely actions led to a major boost in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa;
WELCOMES the contributions by AU Member States, Partners and other Organisations which contributed to the AU response to the Covid-19 pandemic and CALLS UPON other Member States and Partners to provide support;
ACKNOWLEDGES the efforts of the Ministers responsible for Health, Finance and Transport, and all other stakeholders in their roles to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic;
EXPRESSES SUPPORT on the need for equitable and timely, access to the COVID-19 vaccine to all AU Member States which will require the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) to ensure at least 60% of the Continent’s population is vaccinated;
EMPHASISES the need for universal, equitable and timely access to affordable medical products amongst others, diagnostic kits, vaccines, personal protective equipment and ventilators for a rapid and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
Acknowledging the urgent need for continued All’s engagement with partners to mobilise support for Africa’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, FURTHER DECIDES, as proposed by the Chairperson of the Union, H.E. President Felix Tshisekedi, to appoint H.E. President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa as the African Union Champion for the COVID-19 response;
NOTING that, in the light of the foregoing, exceptional circumstances exist justifying a waiver from the obligations of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) specifically for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19;
DECIDES to support the proposed WTO Waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and Treatment of COVID-19 as contained in WTO Document IP/C/W/669;
URGES Member States to take all necessary action to deal with the ramification of the COVID-19 pandemic with regards to ending violence against women and girls in Africa.