THEME: SUPPORTING THE CONTINENTAL STRATEGY ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC

WE, the Ministers in charge of Tourism, meeting through Video conferencing on 21st April 2020 as the Sub Committee of Tourism under the Bureau of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism, organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) to consider strategies and actions to support the continental strategy on COVID-19 pandemic:

1. Take into consideration the meetings of the African Union (AU) Bureau of Heads of State and Government held respectively on 26 March 2020 and 03 April 2020 regarding Africa’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the meeting of the Economic Commission for Africa with African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on 19 March 2020,

2. Acknowledge the efforts made by the AUC Chairperson in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic ;

3. Applaud the agreement to establish continental ministerial coordination committees on Health, Finance and Transport in order to support the comprehensive continental strategy ;

We, the Ministers, reiterating our commitment to develop Tourism sector and our strong will to implement the outcomes of this meeting as we have agreed to:

4. Fully support AUC efforts to mobilise attention and resources to cushion COVID-19 impacts on Tourism Industry;

5. Call on all multilateral financial institutions and partners, including the AfDB, the World Bank and others to contribute to the continental anti-COVID-19 Fund established by the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union during the virtual meeting held on Thursday March 26th 2020.

6. Encourage African States to:

a) In the short- to medium-term, cushion African Tourism Industry, including provision of direct financial assistance, loans, loan guarantees and support for the MSSMEs, tax relief, reduction, waiver or deferral of government-imposed taxes and fees;

b) Develop and implement comprehensive Post-COVID-19 National Tourism Recovery Plans to support the industry’s recovery from the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;

7. Decided to set up a High Level Task Force, incorporating representation from Governments, the African Union, academia as well as other tourism stakeholders, with a view to developing and implementing a comprehensive Post-COVID-19 Continental Tourism Recovery Strategy to support the industry’s recovery from the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

8. Request the African Union Commission to prepare the draft Terms of Reference for the said High Level Task Force to be urgently submitted for further validation and endorsement The AUC, African Member States and RECs, in line with Agenda 2063 to step up efforts to promote and develop regional tourism in the continent and Call on all Member States who have not yet done it to join the SAATM.

9. Call on the AUC, RECs, the AFCAC, the AfDB, UNWTO, WTTC, international development partners, to provide technical expertise, resources and support for the implementation of the above actions.

Done on 21st April 2020