SADC DFI Members put heads together in response to COVID-19

On the 24th April 2020, a special meeting was held through videoconferencing using zoom platform. The meeting focused on COVID-19 pandemic, and was themed “COVID-19 CHALLENGES AND THE ROLE OF THE DFIs”. 

 

The purpose of the meeting was to provide a platform for DFIs to discuss ways of playing a critical role in supporting their Governments to ameliorate the impact of the novel virus in the SADC region. This meeting was attended by thirty six participants from different DFIs in the region.

 

Mr Patrick Dlamini, the DBSA Chief Executive and Managing Director, chaired the meeting. In welcoming the members, he emphasized the need to meet as a regional body, given the pandemic crippling economies globally, DFIs included, and to come up with a regional perspective on how best to alleviate challenges emanating from this pandemic. 

 

The meeting had some DFIs making presentations on strategies advanced by their respective institutions on the impact of Covid-19. From the presentations it is clear that Covid-19 is quite devastating for developing and emerging economies and that there is need for DFIs to assist Governments in the various areas affected by the pandemic, including the manufacturing of requisite health supplies, resource mobilization, and the development of regional supply chains for health care products and pharmaceuticals.

 

The SADC-DFRC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Stuart Kufeni officially closed the meeting.   In his closing remarks, the CEO expressed gratitude for the opportunity to meet as Network Members to discuss the topical global pandemic, and in particular the related experiences and interventions shared by DFIs at this meeting.