South Africa: Ramaphosa focuses on "developmental aspirations as a continent," facing difficulties acquiring COVID-19 vaccine

Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, has emphasized the need for Africa's development agency while facing the difficulties to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine in African countries on Thursday, according to a report by news24.

Speaking at an online symposium, the President shared the experiences on the 20th anniversary of the founding of the African Union Development Agency-Nepad (AUDA-Nepad) also known as New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad).

Ramaphosa said, "as we face a major challenge that spreads across the entire continent, we should recall that Nepad was also established to ensure that innovation and technologies [are harnessed]".

While addressing the historical inequities and inequalities including gender differences. He took to Twitter, stating;

We need to strategically position the @NEPAD_Agency to be even more responsive to the continent's development aspirations.https://t.co/JCCLk7m8wD

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 28, 2021

He further stated that the continent needs to renew its focus on technological development even while battling the coronavirus. "The coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on African economies, on public health and indeed on the AU system itself. It has also served as a stark reminder of our global interconnectedness. Which impacts one, impacts all", he added.

As we battle to contain & eradicate #COVID19, we at the same time have to renew our focus on meeting our developmental aspirations as a continent. Strengthening the work of the African Union Development Agency – or AUDA-NEPAD – is more important than ever.https://t.co/v6LST85VaJ

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 28, 2021