22 April 2020 - President Paul Kagame on Wednesday joined the Teleconference Meeting of the Extended African Union Bureau chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, during which he announced Rwanda's pledge to the African Union Covid Fund and to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), each getting $500,000.

The virtual conference brought together Heads of State and Government of DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Zimbabwe, AUC Chair and members of the African Business Leaders Coalition to discuss  the continental COVID-19 response led by the AU and the parternship with the private sector. 

"I note with satisfaction, Mr President, that our coordinated engagement with the G20, and among ourselves, and also with the international financial institutions, has been productive. We should continue to coordinate even more closely in the months ahead. The goal is to ensure that Africa has the fiscal space needed to cushion our private sector from this crisis, and protect the human development gains of our citizens" President Kagame said. 

The Head of State further expressed satisfation with the work done by the Africa CDC and AU Commision in the fight against COVID-19 at the continental level. 

"Let me conclude with a word of thanks to the Africa CDC and the African Union Commission for the excellent work they are doing on behalf of our continent. Member states are directly benefitting from this agency’s expertise"  President Kagame added.

In line with the comprehensive and coordinated continental approach to stop the spread of COVID-19 pandemic on the continent, the Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government recently agreed to boost the capacity of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), given its continued role in the fight against communicable diseases in Africa in general and the fight against COVID-19 in particular.

The Bureau also agreed to the establishment of an African COVID-19 Fund to which Member States of the Bureau initially contributed $12.5 million as seed funding and called on all AU Member States, the International community and philantrophic entitities to contribute to the fund; the AU Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in today's meeting.