African Development Bank Group president, Akinwumi A. Adesina has again urged regional leaders to focus on vaccine production and access for the African continent as the Covid-19 epidemic continues to take lives and hurt economies and livelihoods.
Adesina addressed leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a special summit.
“Africa needs solutions to help it navigate through the very challenging times posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Adesina said. “But the rebound will depend on access to vaccines.”
The African Development Bank will support the continent as part of the vaccines plan of the African Union. It is planning to commit $3 billion to develop the pharmaceutical industry in Africa, Adesina said. “Africa should not be begging for vaccines,” Adesina said. Africa should be producing vaccines,” he stressed.
In recent months, the African Development Bank president has publicly emphasized the need to rapidly build a health care defense system for the continent, to tackle Covid-19 and future pandemics.
Africa should produce vaccines on the continent
New ECA study shows Africa may not meet SDG7 targets
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) unveiled findings of a study titled “Energy Prices in Africa: Transition Towards Clean Energy for Africa’s Industrialization.”
The presentation, which was made during a virtual ministerial meeting, indicates that 600 million people in Africa do not have access to electricity and 900 million have no access to clean cooking fuel. Meanwhile, electricity access rates in 24 countries are below 50%.
“There’s no way Africa can build forward better if we do not make adequate investments in energy and ensure affordable access for all,” said ECA Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe. The UN Under-Secretary-General urged countries to ensure that there’s cost reflective pricing in the energy sector.
The report cites Liberia, Malawi, Central African Republic, Burundi, and South Sudan as having stagnated or reversed in electricity access. Countries like Nigeria, DRC and Ethiopia reportedly have the biggest electricity access deficits.
Embedding and financing climate resilience underpins Africa’s recovery
The fifth African Climate Resilience Infrastructure Summit (ACRIS5), which was held virtually highlighted that integration of climate resilience in the design and implementation of key areas such as agribusiness, hydropower plants, transport corridors, urban sprawls and ecosystems such as protected areas, which are vulnerable to climate change, is critical if Africa is to recover and building forward better to attain sustainable development and shared prosperity.
Addressing the summit Jean-Paul Adam, the director of the Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Division at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) noted that increased and sustained investments in agriculture, energy, water systems, smart cities, infrastructure and resilient nature-based ecosystems are needed to propel Africa’s socio-economic growth and fast-track poverty alleviation. “Investments in these sectors are critical for Africa trade agenda through the African Continental Free Trade Area, for regional integration and for a smart and climate neutral industrialisation agenda.” Adam said.
Unfolding Ethiopia’s ballot
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced that it will try to release the final result in 10 days. However, if further delays are incurred, NEBE has affirmed that it could take up to 20 days. The preliminary results were supposed to be released on Saturday June 26, but said that results of only 221 constituencies from the total of 440 constituencies where election was held had arrived to the board.
The most delayed results are from Amhara Region, according to NEBE where only 40 constituencies released results from a total of 125 constituencies.
In related news, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia said that parties can take their complaints to court of law if they feel that the board has not responded to their issues properly.
“Ethiopia had its most progressive and credible election with the level of participation being wonderful,” stated Birtukan Mideksa, Chairwoman of the board.
“The board is preparing to solve all the challenges occurred in the first round of the sixth general elections,” explained Soliyana Shimels, communication advisor of the board.
On Monday June 21st, 2021 the first schedule of the general elections saw millions of Ethiopians across the nation turning up early to participate in the country’s sixth general.
