Zimpapers Logo

Elliot Ziwira, Harare Bureau
WORLD Health Organisation (WHO) director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and African Union (AU) Chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday called upon the world to “quarantine” politics, including lifting sanctions on countries like Zimbabwe, to win the war against Covid-19.

Speaking during the virtual meeting of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), in an Extraordinary Inter-Sessional Summit of Heads of State and Government, Dr Ghebreyesus said global solidarity is crucial to win the battle against the global contagion that has killed more than 370 000 people worldwide and infected more than 6 million. President Mnangagwa was also a virtual attendee of the summit. While other countries have received succour, in the form of aid from international lenders, Zimbabwe, which is under illegal sanctions from Western nations, has largely been overlooked and is bearing the full weight of tackling Covid-19 alone.

Speaking during the virtual meeting that was chaired by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is OACPS President-in-Office, AU chairperson Ramaphosa, who is also South African President, reiterated his call for the unconditional removal of illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe. Highlighting the essence of cooperation and solidarity among OACPS members, President Ramaphosa said nations of the world are profoundly interconnected, thus, they can only do more if they work together.

In such a world, where all countries should be common-minded through multilateralism, President Ramaphosa said the illegal embargoes on Zimbabwe and Sudan should be lifted so that the two nations could efficiently combat Covid-19. “We believe that no country must be left behind. In this regard, we call for economic sanctions against Sudan and Zimbabwe to be lifted to provide the necessary space for these countries to devote their resources to the fight against Covid-19,” President Ramaphosa said.

“This is a global public health emergency and it needs a global response. We therefore need to promote multilateralism as the most effective instrument to ensure that all countries, big and small, rich and poor, are accommodated and their voices heard.”

The AU chairman’s call amplifies other internal and external voices that have been calling for the removal of the illegal sanctions that have stymied the country’s social and economic development.

On Africa’s preparedness, prevention and response, President Ramaphosa said notwithstanding that African countries have acted decisively in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has kept numbers of infections on the continent lower as compared to global trends, the worst was yet to come. “Although the number of infections in Africa is lower than elsewhere in the world, there is an expectation that the worst is still to come, with dire social and economic consequences. The outbreak of the virus has caused a great deal of damage to economies on the continent and is beginning to stretch public health systems.”

Speaking at the same platform Dr Ghebreyesus said unlike smallpox that was defeated through solidarity during the Cold War, Covid-19, has divided the world which could lead to a devastating impact.

Themed, Transcending the Covid-19 Pandemic: Building Resilience through Global Solidarity, the summit was aimed at assessing the prevailing Covid-19 global situation, particularly the need for OACPS members to identify prospects for universal solidarity and action.

Other leaders at the virtual summit were Chair of CARICOM Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, Chair of the Pacific Forum Prime Minister of Tuvalu Kausea Natano, Secretary-General of the OACPS Georges Rebelo Pinto, President of Angola Joao Lourenco, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape, President of Gambia Adama Barrow, Prime Minister of Fiji Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, President of the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) Sassou Nguesso, President of Seychelles Danny Faure, President of Guinea Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of Zambia Edgar Lungu and President Rwanda Paul Kagame who was a special guest.

President Kagame also called for closer cooperation and interdependence in the response to Covid-19 pandemic.

“The effects of Covid-19 will persist long after the virus has been defeated and the road to recovery will be long. Increased cooperation and mutual interdependence will be the hallmark of effective international response,” said President Kagame.

Like most African countries Zimbabwe has implemented a series of preventive measures in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and is observing a national lockdown to minimise movement of people.