In this meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Eastern African Community (EAC), continued freedom of movement and the management of the cross-border distribution on COVID-19 awareness are the top priorities for the future. The meeting was conducted virtually on 12th May 2020.
The leaders agreed to prioritize measures to ensure continued cross-border goods movement while the area continues to fight COVID-19 at the virtual meeting convened by the current EAC Chairman, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. The leaders, including Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), recognized the challenges of cross-border businesses in combating coronaviruses, particularly truck drivers as high-risk carriers.
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The Heads of State, therefore, tasked the implementation of border screening and test measures for their respective state agencies responsible for the safety, transport and EAC affairs, in particular for truck drivers that do not jeopardize cross-border movement of goods.
The need for concerted EAC actions against the global pandemic of COVID-19 was emphasized by President Uhuru Kenyatta. President Kenyatta told his regional peers that contact monitoring has helped Kenya identify and treat people who have infested the virus. “It is a common stand that we need to address the pandemic in the region. We continue to continuously follow touch monitoring, which has proven highly successful in identifying individuals with infected individuals,” he added.
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The Heads of State were pleased that the regional governments have taken action on COVID-19 to date and thanked the EAC and the Council that the area was able to reduce the cross-border spread of the virus and ensure the smooth flow of products.
The leaders recognized the downturn in the region’s main economic sectors as a consequence of the global pandemic and urged the Member States to prioritize local development of vital supplies required to counter COVID-19. In addition, Heads of State encouraged the EAC countries to invest more in agricultural production, agricultural processing, and value-added in order to allow the industry, during the current public health crisis, to serve as an import substitute.
The leaders highlighted small enterprises as the sector that has the highest potential to protect the region from the adverse economic effects of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus and proposed that special financing schemes be established to help this industry.
The Heads of State shared their gratitude for their on-going support for the EAC Nations, among other development partners, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre pour Disease Control Africa (Africa CDC).
Data Source: Presidency of the Republic of Kenya
