President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo attended an urgent IGAD meeting organized to discuss COVID-19 and its impact in the Horn of Africa region.
The emergency meeting also focused on the importance of formulating an effective response to the virulent disease that has brought the world to a standstill.
President Farmaajo used the meeting, which took place through video conferencing, to discuss the state of Somalia’s healthcare with his fellow leaders.
He also spoke about the risks that COVID-19 poses to not only Somalia but also the neighboring states.
President Farmaajo also made it clear that his country has a pressing need for medical kits needed to test and treat COVID-19 patients.
Other IGAD leaders highlighted the need for supporting the efforts that countries in the region are making to prevent and control the pandemic.
IGAD leaders who took part in the video conference were from Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Namely, they were President Ismail Omar Guelle, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
First Vice President Riek Machar also ably represented his country, IGAD’s newest member South Sudan, at the COVID-19 emergency meeting.