By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
United Nations agencies in West and Central Africa will hold a virtual press conference on April 29, 2020 to brief on the rapidly evolving situation of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the region.
The briefing is coming against the backdrop of the steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Africa, a region already faced with serious development and humanitarian challenges.
This requires heightened political attention, technical support and partnership to mobilize resources for the immediate health response as well as the social and economic impact that could affect even more people.
According to a Media Advisory sent to NATIONAL ACCORD from the UN World Food Programme, the Virtual Press Conference via – Zoom, Scheduled to hold on Wednesday from 14:00 – 15:00 (GMT), will be done by the Executive Committee of Regional Directors UN Sustainable Development Group for West (R-UNSDG-WCA).
The key participants will include H.E. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of UNOWAS and Mr. Mabingue Ngom, Chair a.i. R-UNSDG-WCA, & Regional Director, UNFPA West and Central Africa Regional Office.
Others are Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa; Ms. Marie Pierre Poirier, Regional Director, UNICEF West and Central Africa and; Mr. Chris Nikoi, Regional Director, WFP West and Central Africa, while the Moderator will be Damian Cardona Onses, Director, UN Information Centre, Dakar.
Giving a background to the move by the UN agencies, Kelechi Onyemaobi, the National Communications Officer, UN WFP, noted that West and Central Africa was faced with the biggest health epidemic since the Ebola epidemic in 2014-2016.
The geographic spread is wider – all countries in the region have confirmed cases. The region reported its first case of the COVID-19 on 29 February 2020. As at 23 April, there are 7,840 confirmed cases, more than 210 people have died and 2,261 have recovered. There are over 5,396 cases still under treatment.
There is a need for concerted action globally and greater attention to people already made vulnerable by poverty and humanitarian crises – many of whom live in this region.
UN agencies are working with governments and partners, to implement the recently launched US$2 billion Global Humanitarian Response Plan. International donors pledged a quarter (US$550 million) of that amount at the launch in March 2020.
The agencies are calling for $350 million to be specifically earmarked for the establishment of a rapidly enhanced and expanded UN global logistics system, including key regional hubs, to serve as air and cargo bridges to move key personnel and equipment as conventional air traffic has shut down, or movement has been restricted.
Heads of all UN’s major agencies have issued an Open Letter calling for more support to the world’s weakest countries, noting the “interest to stop the virus from spreading unchecked, destroying lives and economies, and continuing to circle around the world.”
The COVID-19 West and Central Africa Executive Committee (WCA-EC) brings together regional Directors of the UN system in west and central Africa and serves as a regional platform of coordination and communication.
They share notes on individual agencies efforts while building on past experiences and lessons learned to propose targeted services to address the crisis.
This enables an effective, coherent and coordinated support to the various initiatives at the country level through regional agencies collective efforts. The members include IOM, OCHA, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNOWAS, WFP, WHO, UNOWAS and OCHA
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