AHBN tasks EU-AU Summit on actionable resolutions for equitable Post COVID-19 Recovery
By Zayamu Hassan
Following the ongoing 6th European Union (EU)-African Union (AU) summit in Brussels, Belgium, the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) has called on the leaders at the summit to come out with actionable recommendations that will lead to equitable post COVID-19 recovery.
The Coordinator, AHBN, Dr. Aminu Magashi, made the call while responding to questions at the sideline of the two-day retreat on health security and COVID-19 in Abuja, Nigeria. AHBN is a regional Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that focusses and champions transparency and accountability in the health sector with its headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
Dr. Magashi therefore, called on the global leaders at the EU, AU Summit to strengthen partnership and collaboration between Africa and the Europe. He also called on the EU to support build the capacity of Africa to be self sustaining in vaccine production, particularly with the formula, potency and weaver.
He also called on the EU to support mount pressure on international manufacturing companies to come to Africa to invest and work with the African government and private sector to support local vaccine production to establish vaccine plant so that vaccine can be available for Africa for COVID-19 and other outbreaks of diseases which Africa is witnessing.
According to the AHBN Coordinator: “We are aware that on the 17th and 18th of the February the EU and AU would be holding a summit in Belgium where bilateral discussions are going to take place and also some discussions that are going to be beneficial to both continents will be done.
“We are keenly observing the proceedings and decision making at the EU, AU summit in Belgium and want to use this opportunity as sideline to our two-day advocacy on health security and COVID-19 to task the leaders in Africa and EU to see the value of partnership and coordination and also strengthen collaboration between Africa and the Europe.
“Vaccine production should be a priority of discussion in this summit. We are calling on the EU to support Africa for local vaccine production with the formula, potency and weaver and also for international manufacturing companies to come to Africa to invest and work with the African government and private sector to support local vaccine production to establish vaccine plant so that vaccine can be available for Africa for COVID-19 and other outbreaks of diseases which Africa is witnessing. This is one of the calls by the AHBN.
“The climate change as it relates to the health sector, education, and also the economic growth. We need to invest in climate change, we need to put resources.
“We are encouraging the EU to work with the Africa Union to support climate change activities that will promote peace, security, growth and health prospect.
“Another call we are also making through this our message to the AU, EU summit is that while the continent needs leaders within the government, the African continent also needs leaders within the civil society groups and the Non-Governmental Community.
“The summit should bring out key actionable recommendations that will also empower regional non governmental organization that will continue to promote accountability and transparency in Africa and that will continue to provide leadership and capacity building for both the government and non governmental individuals, champions and advocates and also try to strengthen the health system and also the health security which is very paramount.”