Moroccan King Mohammed VI has proposed to launch an African initiative to confront the coronavirus pandemic.
The King held separate telephone conversations with Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara and Senegalese President Macky Sall, the Royal Office announced in a statement.
The talks focused on the alarming development of the COVID-19 disease in Africa, it said.
During the discussions, King Mohammed VI proposed the launch of an initiative of African heads of state aimed to establish an operational framework in following up African countries in their management of the pandemic, said the statement.
According to the Royal Office, “this is a pragmatic and action-oriented initiative, enabling the sharing of experiences and best practices to address the health, economic and social impact of the pandemic.”
Around 39 out of 54 African countries have recorded coronavirus cases.
The Economic Commission for Africa has called for adequate consideration of the vulnerability of city economies as African governments consolidate efforts and define stimulus measures to mitigate national and regional economic impacts.
ECA also warned the unfolding coronavirus crisis could seriously dent Africa’s already stagnant growth.
“Africa may lose half of its GDP with growth falling from 3.2% to about 2 % due to a number of reasons which include the disruption of global supply chains,” it said.
The ECA estimates COVID-19 could lead to Africa’s export revenues from fuels falling at around $101 billion in 2020.
Remittances and tourism are also being affected as the virus continues to spread worldwide, resulting in a decline in FDI flows; capital flight; domestic financial market tightening; and a slow-down in investments - hence job losses.
