The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will this week take evidence from a World Health Organisation and African Union special envoy in a session covering the preparedness and effects of COVID-19 in Africa, and international coordination during the pandemic.
The evidence session will be conducted on zoom and can be followed at www.parliamentlive.tv from 3pm on Friday 15 May. Giving evidence will be:
- Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Health Organisation and African Union Special Envoy; former Nigerian Finance Minister and Foreign Minister.
Topics the session will cover include:
- What are the principal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic across Africa?
- The preparedness of Africa for the pandemic and whether previous epidemics have helped in the response to COVID-19?
- How the continent can be supported in public health and economic impacts of COVID-19 by the UK government and global organisations.
- How will the pandemic affect African countries’ economies?
- How can we best ensure that progress towards gender equality is not reversed as a result of COVID-19?
- How effectively has the African Union responded to COVID-19, and how well are African countries coordinating their responses?
- What role should international partnerships play in the development and global distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine and how can we ensure it will be available to all countries, including those in Africa?
- What are the current issues facing Nigeria’s economy, and are these exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic?