Covid-19: African Union appoints special envoys to ask for international support

In a statement, the African Union, led by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, explains that special envoys will request quick and concrete measures from entities such as the European Union and group G 20.

"In light of the devastating political and socio-economic impact of the pandemic on African countries, these institutions can support economies, which are experiencing serious challenges, with a comprehensive stimulus package, including deferred debt and interest payments" , said Cyril Ramaphosa.

The team of special envoys includes former finance ministers Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria), Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda) and Trevor Manuel (South Africa) and the banker and former CEO of Credit Suisse Tidjane Thiam.

In the opinion of Cyril Ramaphosa, the work of these special envoys could streamline economic support to African countries so that they can respond quickly to this public health emergency because of the covid - 19 .

The number of deaths caused by covid - 19 in Africa is 744 and registered 13. 686 cases in 52 countries, according to the most recent update of the pandemic data on that continent.

The pandemic already affects 52 the 55 countries and territories of Africa, with four countries - South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco - concentrating more than half of the infections and deaths associated with the new coronavirus.

South Africa has the highest number of cases (2. 028), with 25 dead, but the highest number of fatalities is recorded in Algeria (275), in 1. 825 infected.

All Portuguese-speaking African countries report cases of the disease, with Guinea-Bissau being the most affected, accounting 39 people infected with the new coronavirus.

Angola adds 19 confirmed cases of covid - 19 and two deaths. Mozambique has 20 declared cases of infection by the new coronavirus and Cape Verde has a total of eight cases of infection since the beginning of the pandemic, including one dead.

On Thursday, Cape Verdean authorities announced that Cape Verdean citizens abroad died 12 of the disease. São Tomé and Príncipe, the last Portuguese-speaking African country to detect the disease in its territory, has four confirmed cases.

In Equatorial Guinea, which is part of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), positive cases of infection are confirmed 18. The new coronavirus, responsible for the covid pandemic - 19 , already caused more than 107 thousand deaths and infected more than 1.7 million people in 193 countries and territories.

Of the cases of infection, almost 345 thousand are considered cured. After appearing in China in December, the outbreak spread throughout the world, which led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a pandemic situation.