This is according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Thursday, titled ‘President Buhari attends AU Extra-ordinary summit in Malabo.’

“The three-day summit, which will hold on May 26th-28th, will also focus on Humanitarian Challenges in Africa, with related issues on migration, refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons.

“At the summit, the African leaders will look at Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government, with attendant spiraling effects on human rights and economies”, the statement read in parts.

President Buhari will join other Heads of State and Government to deliberate on humanitarian challenges, hopes, and challenges in Africa, and participate in the adoption of the Assembly Declaration on Humanitarian Summit and the pledging conference.

n security and governance, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union will take a united position on terrorism and unconstitutional change of government, and reach agreements on new approaches to stem the tide.

President Buhari will also hold sideline meetings with some leaders during the meeting in Malabo.

Mrs. Aisha Buhari, who is the President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, is accompanying her husband to the African Union meeting.

The President will also be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd); Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq; National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (retd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar and Chairman, Nigerians In Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Buhari is expected back to Abuja on Saturday, ahead of the All Progressives Congress presidential primary elections holding on Sunday into Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that to ensure widespread access to COVID-19 vaccines across Africa, the AU launched the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust in November 2020.

Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of Board of African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK),while handing the vaccines to the Presidential Steering Committee(PSC), on Monday in Abuja, said “that the vaccine acquisition by AVAT was a unique milestone for the African continent.

NAN reports that the West African nation is one of the earliest to benefit from a supply deal agreed in March, 2021 to procure 220 million doses for the continent, with the potential to order another 180 million.

The single dose of COVID-19 vaccine made by J&J is highly effective in preventing severe illness and death from the Delta and Beta variants of the coronavirus, data from a clinical trial in South Africa suggest.

The four-year project, ‘EU for health security in Africa: ECDC for Africa CDC’, funded by the European Union, will also facilitate harmonised surveillance and disease intelligence, and support the implementation of the public health workforce strategy of Africa CDC.

In a statement released today by the EU, the Commission Vice-President, Margaritis Schinas, said, “The coronavirus pandemic has shown more clearly than ever that health security – a longstanding objective in the cooperation between the African Union and the European Union – must remain a global priority.

“The new partnership between the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control and the Africa CDC is a crucial step to achieve this common goal. We are acting now, together, to end this crisis and be prepared for future outbreaks. Our AU-EU Commission-to-Commission meeting in February was instrumental in reinforcing the prospects of our cooperation that is now bearing fruit.”

Also, Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Amira Mohammed, said, “As a continent, we recognise the socioeconomic impact that disease outbreaks have had on our people. We know that fighting COVID-19 in Africa is not only about saving lives today, but about the future of the continent, it is about strengthening our health systems to better support preparedness and response to health emergencies in the future.

“This funding by the EU comes at a very good time and will go a long way in supporting capacity building of our public health institutions and experts.”

The statement further stated that through the partnership, Africa CDC and ECDC will be able to exchange experiences and lessons learnt from working with African and European Member States on the continental harmonised surveillance of infectious diseases, data sharing, and early detection of threats, as well as on preparedness, risk assessment, rapid response, and emergency operations, and on how to adapt these to their needs.

“Funded under the European Development Fund, the project includes a contribution agreement with ECDC of €9 million and a complementary grant to Africa CDC of €1 million to cover staffing costs. This agreement will come into effect on 1 January 2021,” the statement added.

Buhari joined the discussion virtually under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ECOWAS has strongly condemned the change of government in member state Mali.

“The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWASECOWAS) will hold an extraordinary summit on the socio-political situation in Mali on Thursday,” the regional body said in a statement on Wednesday.

ECOWAS had been mediating in the crisis before Tuesday’s coup.

Malian army officer Colonel Assimi Goita on Wednesday announced himself as the coup leader.

The African Union (AU) also on Wednesday suspended Mali a day after the coup.

The AU joined other international bodies and nations, including the US and European Union, to condemn the coup and demand the release of the detained leaders.