- EU: We agree we have made some flaws
From Adeola Ogunlade From Dakar, Senegal
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa and his counterpart in Senegal, President Macky Sall, have condemned the travel ban on African country as another travel apartheid saying is unjust, and pathetic.
The duo made this known at the ongoing Dakar lnternational Forum on Peace and Security in Africa holding at the International Conference Centry, Abouf Dakar, Senegal.
Tagged; The challenges of Stability and Emergence Facing Africa in a Post-Covid-19 World. The event brought together African Heads of States, diplomats, industry players, civil society groups, among others.
lt has 11 session which bothers no oon Post Covid-19 stability issues; Security challenges and new threats? the African continent and the world in the post-Covid-19 phase, Public health challenges: towards the collective management of pandemics, consolidating peace and security in Africa to promote emergence, among others.
According to Ramphafosa, when the scientists in South African discovered the new Covid-19 variants- Omicron, immediately alert the world but the punishment we got was travel ban.
He noted that today, Omicron is affecting the world, even the rich countries, stressing that the travel ban be lifted so that our people can travel round the world.
He pointed that the lifting the travel ban is a critical route to economy recovery in part of the world. The devastating impact of travel ban is travel apatheid as enunciated by the United Nation Secretary General.
“lt will be devastating to the economy of most Southern African and other region in African whose economy depend largely on tourism and is also against the G20 Summit where world leaders agree to open their economy”, he said.
The South African posit” l was called by Presidents in European that we are restricting travel ban without any question or discussion unlike my African leaders who called and asked in anyway they can help including Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, President of Senegal, President Macky Sall, and others”.
He called for the review of the intellectual right by world powers for African countries to be able to manufacture vaccines.
He noted that the greed displayed by world powers when they say that we are partners is disappointing.
On his part, President Sall said: “let me reiterate here my full support against any form of discrimination or isolation in relation with the new variant Omicron in South Africa. This is not acceptable; and we won’t accept it.”
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has made clear, isolating a country that has sequenced a new variant and has been transparent is not only discriminatory, but also counterproductive, because it encourages others not to publish the results of their investigations.
“This pandemic, which is affecting all our countries, must bring us together on the solidarity front of the response, instead of adding a new divide to North-South relations”.
He said further that access to vaccines for all and their production in Africa remain a major priority for us.
“I welcome the efforts made at the bilateral level and in the framework of the COVAX initiative. But much more needs to be done to reach our immunisation targets” he said
He lauded the effort of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is leading the committed continental response to COVID.
He stated further that bringing together, reflecting and proposing solutions, that is the spirit of the Dakar Forum on Peace and Security in Africa.
On his part, the Chairman of the European Union (EU) , Charles Michael renewed the commitment of EU in African inclusive development.
He reminded the participants of the EU’s effort at mobilising vaccines to African countries noted that donation of the vaccine is between national interest and big corporations.
Michael agreed that we have made some flaws but we are forging a sustainable relationship that take into cognisance our differences.