President Cyril Ramaphosa Appointed as African Union COVID-19 Champion and Establishes the Commission on African COVID-19 Response

The African Union Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government (AU Bureau) has appointed President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa as the African Union (AU) Champion on COVID-19, a decision announced during the 34th Ordinary Session of the AU held on 6 February 2021.

Following his appointment, President Ramaphosa established the Commission on African COVID-19 Response, which held its inaugural meeting on 22 June 2021. The Commission is chaired by President Ramaphosa and co-chaired by Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Building on Continental Leadership

The creation of this Commission recognizes President Ramaphosa’s instrumental role in coordinating Africa’s response to the pandemic during his tenure as AU Chair in 2020. Under his leadership, the continent achieved several key milestones:

• Development and endorsement of the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 Outbreak

• Establishment of the Africa Task Force for Coronavirus (AFTCOR)

• Launch of the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP)

• Creation of the COVID-19 African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) to secure vaccine financing and access

• Coordination of continental communication efforts on COVID-19

• Appointment of AU Special Envoys for COVID-19 to mobilize international support

Purpose and Mandate of the Commission

The Commission’s primary goal is to support President Ramaphosa’s leadership as the AU Champion on COVID-19 by guiding Africa’s continued response and recovery efforts. Its mandate includes:

1. Identifying gaps in Africa’s COVID-19 strategy and proposing evidence-based interventions;

2. Assessing the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic and recommending policies for a strong, inclusive recovery.

The Commission focuses on key areas such as:

• Strengthening Africa’s public health workforce;

• Promoting local manufacturing of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics;

• Building effective partnerships and reinforcing national health institutions including the Africa CDC.

Vaccine Access and Partnerships

Recognizing the urgent need for vaccines, the inaugural meeting invited representatives from GAVI, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and the Open Society Foundation to explore innovative ways to secure Africa’s position in the global vaccine market.

The Commission operates through five specialized working groups, coordinated by Dr. Nkengasong, which focus on:

1. Supporting AVATT in vaccine acquisition and local production of medical commodities;

2. Providing evidence-based recommendations to strengthen prevention, monitoring, and treatment as Africa faces new waves of infection;

3. Supporting health, social, and economic recovery efforts across member states and regional economic communities;

4. Researching and addressing the intersections between COVID-19 and gender-based violence;

5. Assessing the social impact of COVID-19, tackling stigma and discrimination, and identifying funding mechanisms for the Commission’s work.

Broad Representation and Coordination

Commission members represent diverse sectors — including civil society, academia, public health, medical professionals, the private sector, and development finance institutions. The Commission will operate within existing African Continental Strategy frameworks and be supported by a dedicated Secretariat.

At the inaugural meeting, members underscored the urgent need to accelerate vaccine procurement and rollout, strengthen health systems, and ensure that gender equality is integrated across all objectives.

President Ramaphosa emphasized:

“Despite the development of vaccines, we are still far from permanently containing the pandemic. African countries must therefore consolidate cooperation and strengthen partnerships with all stakeholders in this crucial next phase.”

Reporting and Membership

The Commission’s findings and recommendations will be submitted as a standing agenda item to the AU Bureau of Heads of State and Government.

Commission Members:
Dr. John Nkengasong (Cameroon); Prof. Amadou Sall (Senegal); Dr. Sani Aliyu (Nigeria); Prof. Salim Abdool Karim (South Africa); Dr. Ama Pokuaa Fenny (Ghana); Dr. Hakiba Solange (Rwanda); Prof. Senait Fisseha (Ethiopia); Dr. Githinji Gitahi (Kenya); Prof. Maaroufi Abderrahmane (Morocco); Prof. Maha El Rabbat (Egypt); Prof. Francine Ntoumi (Congo); Dr. Patrick Tippoo (South Africa); Prof. Agnes Binagwaho (Rwanda); and Dr. Denis Mukwege (DRC).