Media Statement

21 April 2020

President Ramaphosa to engage African business leaders

In line with decision of the Extended African Union Bureau Meeting held on the 3rd April 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 22 April 2020, chair a virtual meeting of business leaders on the continent to discuss the continental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to this challenge.

The President will convene the virtual meeting in his capacity as African Union (AU) Chair.

Members of the AU Bureau, other invited Heads of State and/or Government, the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and business leaders from some of Africa’s largest firms are expected to participate in the meeting.

The engagement aims to foster business support for the African Union’s Joint Continental Strategy for the COVID-19 outbreak; and will discuss the development of a continent-wide initiative to assure the resilience of the African economy, and Africa’s joint capacity to manage the economic consequences of the pandemic.

The AU Bureau has been engaging with various sectors including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as well as developmental finance institutions, in an effort to coordinate a broader response and to mitigate some of the challenges brought by this crisis.

Media enquires: Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa, Khusela Diko on +27 72 854 5707; media@presidency.gov.za

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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