MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2020) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in his speech to the 75th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday urged the international community to support a stimulus package for Africa amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is in the spirit of this New Global Deal, that we call on the international community and our international partners to support the rollout of a comprehensive stimulus package for African countries. This will enable African countries to not only mitigate the health impacts of COVID-19 but to aid us in the immense task of rebuilding our shattered economies," Ramaphosa said in a broadcast address, as quoted by the presidential website.
He also called for lifting sanctions against Zimbabwe and Sudan so that they could properly face the pandemic.
"We also call for the suspension of interest payments on Africa's external and public debt," the president added.
The pandemic has crippled national economies of many countries across the globe, especially those, like many of the African ones, that lack financial resources and robust social and political institutions to weather the current crisis. South Africa alone is projected to see its gross domestic product plummet by 8 percent this year due to the virus.
