Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

The western countries imposed a ban – as it were to punish excellence coming from Africa, preventing our people from travelling. However, this new variant continues to spread across the globe, beyond Southern Africa, including in their own countries. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Another disappointment that had been thrown our way is that when South African scientists discovered the new variant Omicron, we immediately took on the responsibility of informing the world. However what was the result?   #FDD2021 https://t.co/1PjfT3SAAG — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Whilst the number of Covid-19 cases & deaths have declined in many countries in Africa, we have seen resurgences in others, with renewed lockdown measures. We have to gird ourselves for successive waves of the pandemic, that will be exacerbated as new strains of the virus emerge. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

But up till now they are refusing to do so, and this is disappointing, particularly from those who call themselves our partners. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

All that India and South Africa propose is for his requirement is to be waived temporarily at the WTO to enable countries that have the capability on the African continent to manufacture these vaccines. #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

The lives of people in Africa are just as important as the lives in Europe, in North America, and all over the world.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

I can say I am really disappointed at the approach the rich countries have taken on the issue of vaccines.   Firstly, they hoarded vaccines. They ordered more vaccines than their populations required.   #FDD2021 https://t.co/7XkhgUlK97 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

They are demonstrating that they are only interested in advancing the interests of their citizens, not the citizens of the whole world. This is the type of vaccine apartheid we say must come to an end, because the health of people around the world is at stake.   #FDD2021 https://t.co/uEwPzez8R9 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Whilst this is being negotiated, this is where you really see that the interests of the more developed economies, the rich countries, through their refusal to accede to this proposal to waive the TRIPS requirement.   #FDD2021 #TripsWaiver — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

The most critical aspect at this time however is the ongoing negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a temporary waiver of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement for the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

It is in this regard that we have already identified a number of countries that have the capability and all it takes to be able to be manufacturers of vaccines, and South Africa and Senegal are among the countries with that capability and must be allowed to do so. #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We are optimistic that the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing launched earlier this year will help us achieve the goal of increasing vaccine manufacturing to more than 60% by 2040.     #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

However, vaccine nationalism and inequitable access has resulted in less than 7% of the continental population being fully vaccinated. What continues to greatly disadvantage us is that our local vaccine manufacturing capability covers only 1% of vaccine need on the continent. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Economic growth and improving people’s quality of life are inextricably linked, as are health outcomes and socio-economic development. We have to strengthen measures towards self-reliance as the people of Africa and the continent, particularly when it comes to access to vaccines. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We must renew our focus on advancing human development and on meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, especially around universal healthcare and the eradication of poverty.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We must deepen trade and investment between African countries. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area will be a big enabler in this regard. Our focus must be on job creation, supporting and growing African businesses, and creating a favourable climate for investment.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Africa has to be resilient in withstanding global crises of this nature, and we have the resources and collective skills needed for economic and social emergence. #FDD2021 #AfricaResponds — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Although growth on the continent is expected to increase by 3,4% in 2021 and 4% in 2022, this is still far below what is required in the long run to achieve our goals.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Increased spending to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 has led to many countries in Africa becoming fiscally constrained. Lockdowns, job losses and business closures have all had an impact, with tourism-focused economies particularly impacted.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We need to drive innovative and sustainable economic strategies that not only enables recovery from the pandemic, but that also advance the industrialization and economic integration objectives of the AU’s Agenda 2063.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

I have humbly accepted the role of COVID-19 Champion for AU Response and beyond COVID-19 we are looking at how the continent of Africa can bolster its own health processes and systems so we are able to withstand future pandemics.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We need to invest substantially more in strengthening health systems on our continent and in building resilience to future health emergencies.   #FDD2021 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Having provided this context to what we did right as a continent, what then are the lessons that have been learned, and what are the pathways towards reconstruction and recovery?   #FDD2021 https://t.co/dEHtyzLEg5 — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

So we are confident the amount we have advocated for will be forthcoming and allocated to vulnerable countries. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We advocated for USD 100bn and that indeed we would like more because the rich countries have access to USD 659bn and they want to give us a paltry USD 33bn and this is not fair. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

Initially we had started off with an allocation of USD 33bn but together we advocated that this was not enough was was far too small and very unfair to the African continent. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

As part of this international advocacy, the African Union continues to make the case for further International Monetary Fund Special Drawing Rights to be allocated to vulnerable countries to finance their post COVID-19 recovery. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

There has been welcome progress in this regard, notably through the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework for Debt Treatment. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

We also engaged with the #G20 countries, the European Union and the international financial institutions to meet their commitments to assisting African countries. An important component of this has been that of debt relief. — PolitiTweet.org

Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 @CyrilRamaphosa

As AU Chair we appointed AU Special Envoys to mobilize resources to enable countries on the continent to respond swiftly to the pandemic. — PolitiTweet.org