H.E. Prof. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

H.E. Prof. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim 6th President of the Republic of Mauritius. As a biodiversity scientist, she holds Laureate awards with the African Union and UNESCO.

Highlights

Ameena called for “investment” in the infrastructure of basic health care, education and social services institutions for Africa. An “investment” to develop “preparedness” through providing a “safety net” and innovation to cope with this pandemic.

She argued that infrastructural change is required, for example, African representation at the United Nations Security Council, at present, there are no representatives on the panel to advise on African issues. Collaboration across various institutions is essential to prevent working in silos and overlap in delivery between, for example, UNICEF and the UN World Food Programme.

“The world has changed tremendously. Just to put these things very very bluntly, 70% of the UN Security Council Agenda is about Africa issues and there is not a representative of Africa on the UN Security Council.”