DECISION ON THE REPORT ON THE AFRICAN UNION
RESPONSE ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN AFRICA - Doc. EX.CL/1256(XXXVIII)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Commission report on COVID-19 Vaccine Financing Strategy and the recommendations therein.
2. COMMENDS the Chairperson of the African Union, H.E Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa for his leadership in guiding the COVID-19 response in Africa including the work of the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT).
3. EXPRESSES deep appreciation for the work of the Commissioner of Social Affairs, Mrs. Amira Elfadil, and the Director of the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr John Nkengasong, for their excellent efforts in assisting the continent to respond positively to the Covid-19 pandemic.
4. EXPRESSES CONCERN on the need for equity and timely access to the COVID-19 vaccine for AU Member States which will require additional mechanisms to ensure at least 60% of the continent’s population is vaccinated.
5. FURTHER EXPRESSES CONCERN of the COVID-19 pandemic that has exposed existing health challenges, associated challenges of medical regulatory systems in Africa, compounded by sanctions targeted on some African countries, that affect the prospects of achieving the that affect the prospects of achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063 on universal access to quality medicines, medical products and technologies; RECOGNIZES the progress that has been made in the signing and ratification of the Treaty for the Establishment of the African Medicine Agency (AMA) by AU Member States.
6. FURTHER TAKES NOTE WITH APPRECIATION the support of the Honorable Michel Sidibe, former Minister of Health and Social Affairs of the Republic of Mali for the continued advocacy to mobilize member states to sign and ratify the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty; and REQUESTS the Commission to nominate an African Union Special Envoy for the AMA with no financial or legal implications to the African Union.
7. ACKNOWLEDGES and SUPPORTS the COVAX initiative which will support the delivery of vaccines to cover 20% of the continent’s population and urges international support for this important initiative.
8. REQUESTS Afreximbank to urgently put in place financing mechanisms and instruments to enable the attainment of the target of vaccinating 60% of the continent’s population and to support post COVID-19 economic recovery, including through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
9. TAKES NOTE of the recommendation for a general capital increase for Afreximbank by all States parties, up to an amount sufficient to meet the intended purposes, from all internal and external resources.
10. REQUESTS Afreximbank to co-ordinate closely with the Africa CDC, the AU Special Envoys, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Ministers of Finance and Ministers of Health of Member States and other key stakeholders in implementing these recommendations.
11. TAKES NOTE of the World Bank Initiative and Encourages Member States to expedite implementation in co-ordination with the Africa CDC.
12. NOTES WITH CONCERN the impact of sanctions on affected Member States’ ability to respond to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
13. RECOGNISING FURTHER the need for universal, equitable and timely access to affordable medical products including diagnostic kits, vaccines, personal protective equipment and ventilators for a rapid and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
14. NOTING that, in 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.
15. 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.
16. RECALLING Assembly/AU/Dec.499(XXII) on the establishment of an African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and EX.CL/Dec.913(XXVIII) requesting the Commission to expedite the operationalization of the AfCDC.
17. FURTHER RECALLING the recent Executive Council Decision 1106 (XXXVII) taken in October 2020; that requests the Commission to prepare a report, including a Road Map and Framework of Operations, outlining the financial, legal and structural implications to fully operationalize the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in line with its Statute, for submission to the 38th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council through AU Policy Organs.-2
18. DEEPLY CONCERNED that the report has not been submitted as requested, and that this delay in the full operationalization of the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention will have serious negative consequences in the ability of the Continent to continue to responding effectively to the Covid-19 pandemic.
19. INSTRUCTS the Commission to produce the report, including a Road Map and Framework of Operations, outlining the financial, legal and structural implications to fully operationalize the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in line with its Statute, for the consideration of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, by the end of February 2021 based on the Decision EX.CL/Dec. 1106(XXXVII), in order for the report to be submitted to the 39th Ordinary session of the Executive Council.
20. RECALLING Executive Council Decision 1106 (XXXVII) taken in October 2020 that WELCOMES the appointment of the AU COVID-19 Response Fund Board of Trustees that advises the Chairperson of the Commission on oversight, management and disbursement of funds, INSTRUCTS the AU Commission to produce a report that details the funds received into, and the disbursements from, the Fund, including the associated costs, for the consideration of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, by the end of February 2021.
21. REQUESTS the Commission to present the report on details of the funds received into, and the disbursements from, the Fund of Africa CDC to the 39th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in July 2021.