This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Published on July 16, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta has called for a joint European Union and Africa Covid-19 response strategy to address the pandemic's impact on the continent.
The President made the call during a virtual conference of European and African leaders on the proposed establishment of the Africa-Mediterranean-Europe (AME) Foundation.
Former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker is championing the establishment of the AME Foundation as a platform to enhance development discourse and interactions between Africa, the Mediterranean, and Europe.
President Kenyatta welcomed the proposal, saying it will help inject new ideas needed to scale up collaboration between the three regions.
"I welcome with enthusiasm the proposal to establish the Africa-Med-Europe (AME) Foundation," President Kenyatta said. "The Foundation will complement the existing Africa-European continental cooperation in addressing emerging global challenges," he added.
He emphasized that the foundation should be structured to promote multilateralism and inclusivity, and be a voice against unilateralism.
"In this context of inclusivity, the Foundation should also recognize the critical role of the private sector, academia, and civil society," the President said.
President Kenyatta endorsed the proposal to include the setting up of the EMA Foundation as an agenda during the next AU-EU summit scheduled for October this year.
