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The Democrat Union of Africa (DUA), a coalition of center-right political parties in Africa observes with grave concern, the raging scourge of COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and across the globe and by this statement extend solidarity, hope and calm to our members, partners, institutions, foundations and organizations at this moment of global emergency.

DUA observes that COVID-19 has stoked seeming uncertainty, panic and fear not only in Africa but in the entire globe given it biological complexity, contagion and the fruitless effort to find immediate cure. In the midst of the disquiet, lives lost and the global efforts being made, the union offers its solidarity and sympathy to:

1. Members of DUA
2. Members of International Democrat Union (IDU)
3. International Young Democrat Union (IYDU)
4. Conservative Party/Westminster Foundation for Democracy (CP/WFD)
5. Christian Democrat Union (CDU)
6. Union of Parties in Latin America (UPLA)
7. Konrad-Adenaeur Stiftung (KAS)
8. All Center-Right political parties
9. Partners, Institutions, Foundations (Tink Tanks) Organizations and
10. Governments and people of the world.

DUA believes that there has not been a critical urgency for international co-operation among governments, institutions and organizations in recent times as is needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. In our opinion, the global community ought to coalesce, share ideas, outline approaches, processes and protocols to contain the pandemic to relief humanity of the COVID 19 scourge. Isolationist and

protectionist tendencies in what is clearly a global problem will not only be disastrous but counter-productive.
Within the framework of international conventions and protocols as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO), DUA calls for compliance, co-operation and adoption of strategies by members and partners to secure lives, economies and inspire hope in this period of struggle. We also call on the international community to demonstrate solidarity by sharing human and material resources that are crucial to augment the capacities and preparedness of less endowed economies around the world. Similarly, the union also calls on the international community to assist WHO to leverage science and technology to fight the COVID 19 pandemic.
DUA commends all frontline workers in Africa, governments, institutions and organization whose efforts and commitment have given hope that contracting COVID 19 is not a death warrant, but that, there is a higher possibility of recovery while observing safety protocols can break the spread of the virus. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deserves mention for their proactiveness in putting measures in place through financial packages to revive economies and to enable governments to implement relief interventions for the poor and vulnerable in society. The union urges our members and partners to diligently observe safety and social protocols to avoid contracting the virus in order to stop the spread and contain the pandemic.

In the spirit of our common humanity, DUA admonishes the adoption of approaches that will put human lives first and preserve human dignity. Also in the midst of a global emergency of such magnitude, let’s eschew politicization, discrimination against minorities and abuse of power as demonstrated by its Patron, the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. As a human centered union which espouses democratic governance, human rights and free market principles and ideologies, we urge governments not to exploit the exigencies of the time to achieve political ends, this we again commend the Ghanaian President (Patron of DUA), H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for showing leadership in this regard.

DUA wishes our members and partners well, believing that together, we shall certainly contain COVID 19. Let’s share ideas and resources. Let’s co-operate and not isolate. Let’s spread hope and calm, not fear and panic.
As much as possible, let’s stay safe.

Emmanuel Attafuah-Danso
DUA Secretariat
Accra-Ghana