President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, said the socio-economic disruptions that had so far characterised the COVID-19 pandemic had proved too hard for many countries to cope with.
Buhari said the health systems of many nations had also been severely tested by the pandemic.
The President said these in a statement he presented at a virtual extraordinary China-Africa summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 co-hosted by the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation.
He said, “The COVID-19 outbreak is a clear wake-up call for all of humanity.
“The health systems of many nations have been severely tested by the outbreak of this disease, that most resorted to unprecedented executive measures of closing borders and locking down cities to restrict movements and commerce.
“The immediate socio-economic disruptions have been hard to cope with for many, and others suffered devastating effects.”
Buhari told the summit, co-hosted by the Chinese President, Xi Jinping; South African President and African Union Chairperson, Cyril Ramaphosa; and Senegalesse President and co-chair of FOCAC, Macky Sall, that there was the need for unity in tackling the pandemic.
He noted that the world was at a critical cross-roads, saying countries had been hit hard by the tragedy of the pandemic.
In a bid to contain the spread of the disease, he said countries had to mobilise energy and resources to equip health care providers for adequate response to the challenges of the virus.
“As we face a common pervasive and invisible enemy, it is important that we all remain united to save our shared humanity, because this virus knows no borders.
“The fight against a global pandemic that continues to take so many lives, threaten livelihoods and challenge the very fabric of societies, requires enhanced cooperation and worldwide solidarity,” he said.
Buhari said Nigeria would support and join any joint and collective action plan at regional and global levels to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout.
He urged the summit to put humanity at the centre of its vision for common prosperity.
Buhari commended the Chinese Government, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, and the World Health Organisation for their actions and measures to help developing and middle-income countries in Africa to tackle the pandemic.
On the UN, the President praised the secretary-general for launching the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund for low and middle-income countries to tackle the health emergency, address social and economic consequences of the crisis and strengthen the recovery efforts of most vulnerable countries.