AfDB approves $27.33 million to boost AU’s COVID-19 response initiative

The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved $27.33 million in grants to boost the African Union’s efforts to mobilize a continental response to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

The approval on Wednesday September 9, 2020, followed a meeting of the extended Bureau of the Conference of Heads of State and Government with Africa’s private sector on 22 April 2020.

At the meeting chaired by H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa and chairperson of the AU, the Bank’s President, Akinwumi Adesina, pledged strong support for the AU’s COVID-19 initiative.

The AU Bureau meeting called for contributions to the African Union’s COVID-19 Response Fund established by the AU Commission chairperson, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, in March 2020.

Speaking after the Board approval of this operation, President Adesina said, “With this financing package, we are reaffirming our strong commitment to a coordinated African response in the face of COVID-19.

“Most importantly, we are sending a strong signal that collectively, the continent can address the pandemic, which is straining health systems and causing unprecedented socio-economic impacts on the continent.”

The bank’s grant financing will support the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in providing technical assistance and building capacity for 37 African Development Fund eligible countries, particularly the Transition States, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impact. The ADF is the Bank’s concessional window.

At the beginning of February 2020, only two reference laboratories—in Senegal and in South Africa—could run tests for COVID-19 on the continent.

The Africa CDC, working with governments, the World Health Organization, and several development partners and public health institutes, have increased this capacity to 44 countries currently.

Despite this progress, Africa’s testing capacity remains low, with the 37 ADF-eligible countries accounting for only 40% of completed COVID-19 tests to date.

“Our response today and support to the African Union is timely and will play a crucial role in helping Africa look inward for solutions to build resilience to this pandemic and future outbreaks,” said Ms. Wambui Gichuri, Ag. Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

This support will complement various national and sub-regional operations financed by the African Development Bank under its COVID-19 Response Facility to support African countries to contain and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.