Page 27 - 41st Summit Brochure

Guidelines on Harmonisation and Facilitation of Cross guidelines on COVID-19 including social distancing,
Border Transport Operations across the Region during masks, lockdowns, and restricting social gatherings.
COVID-19 The SADC Secretariat will remain committed
The adopted Guidelines are intended to facilitate and ease to the coordination of regional responses to contain and
the process of transporting essential goods and services address the COVID-19 pandemic. As stated by the
within the region during the COVID-19 pandemic. communiqué of the SADC Extraordinary Summit held
Member States have agreed to establish a National 23 June 2021 in Maputo, Mozambique, “Summit called
Transport and Trade Facilitation Committee or to use upon countries that are limiting SADC residents to travel
similar structures (comprising officials from the to their countries based on origin and type of vaccine they
Ministries responsible for Transport, Health, received to reconsider their positions.”
Police/Army, and Trade) to coordinate the
implementation of the guidelines, and resolve operational
issues at borders or roadblocks. In addition, a SADC SADC Member States are implementing various
Regional COVID-19 Trade and Transport Facilitation vaccination programmes to address the COVID-19
Cell has been created at the SADC Secretariat to assist and situation that has affected the global community, as well
coordinate Member States and Corridor Groups in as safety measures such as masks, sanitizing and social
implementing guidelines. distance. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary
measures and the SADC region did just that to combat
Partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific the COVID-19 pandemic including imposing lockdown
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and curfew measures to combat the spread of the disease.
The SADC Secretariat has partnered with UNESCO on Some cities across the region were deserted as people
an initiative known as #LearningNeverStops to support stayed at home and many worked from home.
SADC Member States in reducing the impact of the
coronavirus on education, and in ensuring the continuity
of education and learning programmes. Through this
partnership, the SADC Secretariat and UNESCO commit SADC leaders made several other commitments with regard to COVID-
to work with SADC Member States and other Global 19, at their Extra-Ordinary Summit on 23 June 2021 in Maputo, as stated
Coalition partners to provide support to Member States in the official Summit Communiqué and quoted here:
to ensure the continuity of education under the hashtag 11. Summit committed to enhance SADC regional and national
#LearningNeverStops. Support will be provided to SADC capacities in research and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and
countries to develop and implement innovative and other essential drugs and medicines, promotion of traditional 25
context-appropriate solutions to provide education and and alternative medicines, and the development of vaccines.
learning remotely, while leveraging hi-tech, low-tech and 12. Summit urged SADC Member States and the International
no-tech approaches, and seek equitable solutions and Community to support the proposal for a temporary waiver of
universal access. certain provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to allow more countries
Introduction of SADC Regional Status Report on COVID 19 to produce COVID-19 vaccine, for more efficient response to
The SADC Regional Status Report on COVID 19 is the COVID-19 pandemic.
produced and shared with Member States on a weekly 13. Summit called upon the World Trade Organization (WTO) to
basis with recommendations for consideration by finalize negotiations on the waiver of certain provisions of the
Member States. Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of the Trade Related
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and expedite its
Monitoring and analysing the socio-economic impact of operationalization.
COVID-19 on SADC economies 14. Summit called for the end of vaccine nationalism and for equal
The SADC Macroeconomic Subcommittee in coordination access to vaccine by all countries.
with the SADC Secretariat has been monitoring and 15. Summit urged all SADC citizens to continue observing and
analysing the impacts of COVID-19 on SADC economies, adhering to COVID-19 preventive measures.
and providing policy recommendations to Member States 16. Summit called upon countries that are limiting SADC residents
on a continuous basis. to travel to their countries based on origin and type of vaccine
they received to reconsider their positions.
Daily updates on the status of COVID-19 in the region 17. Summit commended H.E. President Matamela Cyril
Daily updates on COVID-19 in the region are posted on Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, for championing the
the SADC website to facilitate the sharing of information proposal to waive certain provisions of the Agreement on
and experiences. Trade Related Aspects of the Trade Related Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS), so as to enable more countries to
Way Forward for SADC produce COVID-19 vaccine and facilitate access to all.
To maintain and improve the strategies against the 18. Summit urged Member States to strengthen and expand
COVID-19 pandemic, SADC Member States are involved coverage of social protection and safety nets programmes to
in vaccination programmes to protect people from the cater for increasing numbers of food insecure population, and
effect and impact of the pandemic. All Member States are to promote value addition through agro-processing.
vaccinating citizens and residents while abiding by WHO