Introduction

The African Union COVID-19 Response Fund was established by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat on 26 March 2020, with the aim of strengthening the continental response to COVID-19 and mitigate its socio economic and humanitarian impact on African populations.

The launch followed a meeting of the Bureau of the African Union Heads of State and Government, chaired by His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union for 2020. Members of the bureau are His Excellency, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta of the Republic of Mali; His Excellency, President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya; His Excellency, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and His Excellency, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The Bureau reviewed the COVID19 situation in Africa and the leaders noted that the pandemic had overstretched the public health systems of Member States and was causing serious harm to the health, economic and social well-being of Africa, as in other parts of the world. They noted that if the trend continued unchecked it could cause a major catastrophe for the continent.

The Bureau therefore agreed to urgently establish the continental fund.

The strategy guiding the continental response, called the Joint Africa Continental Strategy on COVID-19, was endorsed by health ministers of African Union Member States and was approved by the Bureau of the African Union Heads of States and Government on 26 March.