The devastating effect of the COVID-19 on the world would be felt in many ways and for a long time. The physical cost, emotional and economic impacts are deeper than can be imagined. The full impact is not yet fully known, but it is possible to build up and restore.
Speaking at the opening of the Eighth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD), President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the host country has said that even though the pandemic has slowed down economic growth and in some cases halted growth “we must look for the silver lining. We can build an Africa that is resilient and sustainable.”
He urged African countries to build beneficial partnerships in the pharmaceuticals and cited examples of how the Africa CDC and NEPAD have worked together on vaccine manufacturing on the continent.
“Africa must prioritise domestic resource mobilization, especially to finance healthcare. African countries should support green growth, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) should be used to adopt sustainable technology and the SDGs must be integrated in development frameworks,” he said, urging African countries to have strong mechanisms to monitor growth and learn to adjust accordingly when necessary.
“Building the Africa that we want, is up to us. We must support one another,” noting that’s why the Agenda 2063 is so important, so that Africa’s youth can have a future that they deserve.
In her remarks, the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Amina Mohammed called on African countries to repeal all gender discriminatory laws and work towards gender equality. She also called on African countries to transform education as the impact of the SDGs would be decided in Africa.
Madam Arlette Soudan-Nonault, the Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin, Congo, and Chair of the seventh session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, said the Forum gives an opportunity to transform the continent. She called on Africa to take advantage of its demographic dividend and work to transform the continent.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the Congo, affecting the quality of education, and widening inequality between the genders.
“We need to efficiently respond to the impacts of climate change, and this Forum gives us the opportunity to reinforce regional collaborations,” she said.
In her remarks, Vera Songwe, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said while it is important to vaccinate populations, only 17 per cent of Africans are vaccinated.
“53 per cent of countries have vaccines that they are not using and only seven countries have vaccinated 70 per cent of their population,” she said.
Despite the downside of the pandemic, there is a positive side to it. Many more African countries have traded among themselves during the pandemic, said.
According to Madam Songwe, in two years of COVID-19, Africa has traded more with itself – trading in PPEs.
“We can put COVID-19 to rest by vaccinating our people, by ensuring that our women and youth have technology to work to keep the economy going and by ensuring that the AfCFTA works,” she said among other things.
The President of ECOSOC, Collen Vixen Kelapile in his presentation said Africa can overcome COVID-19 with vaccination. He called for vaccine equity and action to disrupt the impact of climate change.
The Eigth Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is being held in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, under the theme: “Building forward better: A green, inclusive and resilient Africa poised to achieve the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063”.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, in Kigali, Rwanda
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