East African Community or EAC cabinet directed partner states to support local production of masks, sanitizers, soaps, processed food and ventilators to combat COVID-19 in the region.
The directive came during a joint consultative meeting to discuss a regional approach to coronavirus in Arusha, Tanzania over the weekend.
The leaders also urged member states to facilitate farmers to continue cultivating during this pandemic.
The EAC partner states were also directed to support agro-processing and value chains as an import substitution measure.
The ministers requested the Ministries of Finance to establish special financing schemes for small and medium enterprises to mitigate them from the negative effects of the covid-19 pandemic.
The directives were given in response to information that the region’s key productive sectors are already experiencing a slowdown as a result of the pandemic.
Agriculture, trade, manufacturing and industry, tourism, offline retail and catering are the worst affected sectors.
Among the negative impacts on the regional economy are a food crisis in East Africa and severe disruptions in manufacturing and industry value chains.
The ministers commended the EAC Partner States, WHO and Africa CDC for the efforts being made to address and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.