The Sunday News
Ngonidzashe Chiutsi
THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has not been spared by the effects of the Ebola outbreak amid revelations that some countries have restricted the movement of business people from affected countries.
COMESA Secretary General Mr Sindiso Ngwenya bemoaned the impact on the smooth flow of business as countries had restricted the movement of people from affected places.
“Some countries have restricted entry of travellers from the affected Ebola countries and enhanced screening at their respective border points. In some cases, such restrictions have resulted in cancellation of travels, as well as entry of goods and products from the affected region to the unaffected countries. Such restrictions in the movement of people and goods affect trade and tourism in the region including the COMESA Region,” he said in a statement to Sunday Business last week.
Mr Ngwenya said the African Union (AU) had already appealed to countries to remove the travel bans.
“AU also called on its member states which include COMESA Member States to urgently lift all travel bans and restrictions related to the Ebola outbreak to respect the principle of free movement and ensure that all restrictions comply with WHO and in particular the recommendation for proper screening,” Mr Ngwenya said.
He added that guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the AU encouraged countries to employ other preventative measures.
“In line with the WHO guidelines and the AU position emphasis is placed on investing in preventive mechanisms both at entry and exit points of Member States. Such preventive mechanism requires resources to be put in place, a sustainable surveillance and effective screening system at exit and entry points of Member States,” he said. He added that COMESA’s position was therefore consistent with the decision of the WHO and the African Union in dealing with the health threat.
Mr Ngwenya said COMESA member states were signatories to the WHO and were bound to implement the recommendations that the organisation provides.
“Following the Ebola outbreak and threat to trade, the WHO convened an Emergency Committee meeting under the International Health Regulations (2005) on August 6, 2014, and on August 8, 2014. During the meeting, the Ebola outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This is because of its potential to spread to other countries, in Africa and the world, and also the great need for coordinated international response to stop its spread,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said the WHO Emergency Committee ruled that there should be no general ban on international travel or trade.
He said States should provide travellers to Ebola affected and at-risk areas with relevant information on risks, measures to reduce those risks, and advice for managing a potential exposure.
Mr Ngwenya also said the committee also recommended that states should be prepared to detect, investigate and manage Ebola cases.
“The general public should be provided with accurate and relevant information on the Ebola outbreak and measures to reduce the risk to exposure,” he said.
He said the region should stop the spread of this virus and strengthen health systems’ capabilities by implementing the World Health Organization guidelines referred above.
COMESA is a trade organisation that promotes trade and has 19 member states namely Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The World Bank President Jim Yong Kim recently said the festering Ebola disease could cost Africa $32 billion in two years if not controlled.
