UN calls for international help in Africa

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for international action to help Africa deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Report informs referring to National Herald.

"These are still early days for the pandemic in Africa, and disruption could escalate quickly. Global solidarity with Africa is an imperative -- now and for recovering better," said Guterres in a video message for the launch of a policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on Africa.

Ending the pandemic in Africa is essential for ending it across the world, he said.

"We are calling for international action to strengthen Africa's health systems, maintain food supplies, avoid a financial crisis, support education, protect jobs, keep households and businesses afloat, and cushion the continent against lost income and export earnings," said Guterres.

"African countries should also have quick, equal, and affordable access to any eventual vaccine and treatment, that must be considered global public goods," he added.

He repeated his call for a global response package amounting to at least 10 percent of the world's gross domestic product: "For Africa, that means more than 200 billion US dollars as additional support from the international community," he said.