The African Union Bureau of Assembly of Heads of State and Government (AU Bureau) announced the President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, as the AU Champion on COVID-19 at the 34th Ordinary Session of the AU held on 06 February 2021.
Following his appointment as AU Champion on COVID-19, President Ramaphosa established the Commission on African COVID-19 Response. The Commission, chaired by the President and deputised by the Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Infection (Africa CDC), Dr John Nkengasong, includes ISSER Senior Research Fellow, Dr Ama Pokuaa Fenny as member (commissioner).
Dr Fenny will be serving alongside other commissioners who represent a cross-section of society, including civil society, academia, the continental scientific community, the public health sector, the medical fraternity, the private sector, and development finance institutions.
The Commission’s overarching goal is to support the President in his Championship role in order to enable his continued leadership in guiding the continental response to COVID-19. The Commission’s mandate is two-fold: 1) identify gaps in the continental COVID-19 response strategy and propose evidence-based interventions within the scope of practice of the Commission, and 2) generate evidence to assess the impact of COVID-19 on social and economic harm on the continent and propose ways to a strong recovery. It held its inaugural meeting on 22 June 2021.
We wish to congratulate Dr Fenny her appointment and wish her the very best in this role.
Please, click here for the full Communique on the appointment of President of the Republic of South Africa H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa as the African Union Champion on COVID-19 and the establishment of the Commission on African COVID-19 response.