Member states of IGAD have agreed to forge a joint approach to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

Leaders of Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia held a teleconference on Monday.

The main focus of the extraordinary summit was on the challenges the region is facing in managing the coronavirus pandemic.

The leaders resolved to formulate a regional response strategy to pandemic diseases particularly COVID-19. They also tasked IGAD ministers of Health and Finance to meet virtually to inform the strategy.

They further agreed to pursue joint mobilisation of financial resources from international institutions and partners.

The IGAD leaders also agreed to ask international financial institutions to cancel the debts of IGAD member states in order to free up resources to fight the coronavirus

The Chairperson of IGAD who is also the Prime Minister of Sudan Abdalla Hamdok, President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), President Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti) and President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo (Somalia) participated in the teleconference.

Others were Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and South Sudan’s first vice president Riek Machar.