AfricaPress-Tanzania: EAC ministers responsible for Health, Trade, Transport and EAC Affairs have directed partner states to support local production of essential medical products and supplies including masks, sanitisers, soaps, processed food, ventilators as part of efforts to combat Covid-19 in the region.
Through a video conference held here at the weekend, the ministers further directed Partner States to facilitate farmers to continue farming activities during this pandemic and post Covid-19 period.
The consultative meeting also directed Partner States to support agro-processing and value chains as an import substitution measure.
The ministers also requested Finance dockets among the six EAC countries to establish special purpose financing schemes for small and medium enterprises, to cushion them from the negative effects of the deadly virus.
The ministers’ directives was a response to information availed to them that the region’s key productive sectors are already experiencing a slowdown as a result of the global pandemic, with sectors such as agriculture, trade, manufacturing and industry, tourism, offline retail and catering being the worst affected.
Among the negative impacts on the regional economy are a food crisis in East Africa and severe disruptions in manufacturing and industry value chains.
On the flipside are beneficial developments such as; increased production of face masks in the region; growing popularity of online retail using e-commerce platforms; growing popularity of online entertainment, and increased Telecommuting and distance education.
The consultative meeting also discussed progress made on the facilitation of the free movement of goods and services in the region; assessment of state of play on cross border clearance of cargo and truck drivers at Malaba and Busia during the Covid-19 pandemic; Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the region’s productive capacities and Impact on Macroeconomic stability.
