Ticker

1. The Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy H.E. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid and the African Ambassadors to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) met via video conference to discuss the urgent actions needed to contain the spread of COVID-19 and the continental strategy to assist Africa’s air transport industry during the recovery period.

The Republic of Gabon on 20th April 2020, signed the Treaty for the establishment of the African Medicine Agency (AMA) at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, bringing the number of AU Member countries that have signed the AMA Treaty to sixteen.

The signing ceremony organized by the Office of the Legal Counsel, took place between the AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, H.E Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Gabon Republic to the AU, H.E Mr. Hermann IMMONGAULT.

Since the launch of the negotiations in Johannesburg in 2015, remarkable progress has been achieved largely because of the political will and commitment of the Assembly of Heads of States, to provide leadership and to ensure that Africa takes concrete steps towards the creation of an integrated market.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in this high level meeting.

Much has already been said by the previous speakers, and I totally agree with the Chair of the Union President Cyril Ramaphosa.

But I would like to emphasise the situation today on the ground in Africa, keeping in mind that Africa’s continental strategy is already in full swing coordinated by the Africa Union Commission that includes both a response to the public health needs and the socio-economic challenges of this pandemic.