Ecobank Group spearheads new private sector initiative to end malaria
Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative supports global movement for malaria elimination in Africa
LOME, Togo, July 2, 2020/ -- Today, Ecobank Group (www.Ecobank.com) confirms its commitment to support ending malaria, launching the
first-of-its-kind Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative in
partnership with Dakar-based not-for-profit strategic communications and advocacy organization, Speak Up Africa, and the UN-hosted RBM
Partnership to End Malaria.
The new programme is set out to drive private-sector engagement on the
fight against malaria in Africa. It supports the Pan-African Zero
Malaria Starts with Me Movement, led by the African Union and the RBM
Partnership to End Malaria launched two years ago today by African Heads of States at the 31st African Union Summit in Nouakchott.
The collaboration will support malaria affected countries across the
continent, starting with Benin, Burkina Faso and Senegal by advocating
for stronger political will, increased funding, and stronger targeted
disease elimination responses. The campaign’s objectives are three-fold:
Foster domestic resource mobilization for sustained financing of malaria control and elimination programs
Mobilize businesses and business leaders to contribute to the reduction and elimination of malaria;
Leverage Ecobank’s networks and partners to reinforce or create collaborative platforms.
“Ultimately, ending malaria will increase prosperity across Africa, by
creating a healthier workforce that can drive economic growth. The
Ecobank Group is thrilled to collaborate with Speak Up Africa, the RBM
Partnership to End Malaria and the African Union on the Zero Malaria
Business Leadership Initiative, and to use its position as a platform
for co-ordinated action against this treatable and preventable disease”, says Paul-Harry Aithnard, Regional Executive UEMOA, Ecobank.
Originally launched in Senegal in 2014, Zero Malaria Starts with Me
engages political leaders, the private sector and communities to take
action to protect themselves from malaria, and the new initiative will
continue to progress this mission. To date, 15 countries across the
continent have rolled out their own national Zero Malaria campaigns.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over US $10 billion
is needed to implement national strategic plans for malaria control in
30 African countries over the next three years[1]. However, despite all
the efforts made by governments, funding for the fight against malaria
remains a challenge. An annual US $2 billion in additional global
funding is required to reach all those at risk of malaria, outlining the importance of private-sector engagement.
“To become the generation to end malaria, it is crucial that we increase funding to fight this disease to protect everyone at risk. There is an
incredible opportunity for the private sector to join the fight, and we
are thrilled to see the Ecobank Group leading the way with the Zero
Malaria Business Leadership Initiative. By increasing private-sector
funding and engagement, we will unlock valuable resources and
mobilization, that will go a long way in helping us rid the African
continent of malaria once and for all”, highlights Dr Abdourahmane
Diallo, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.
Malaria remains one of the continent’s deadliest diseases, with more
than 400,000 fatalities in 2018 alone. Malaria not only impacts the
health of communities across Africa, but prosperity too, as the disease
limits economic growth and increases poverty amongst the workforce.
H.E Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs, the African Union, comments, “We are incredibly proud to play our role in
the Zero Malaria Starts with Me Movement, and this new Business
Leadership Initiative is an important step to engaging Africa’s
flourishing private sector. The fight to end malaria continues to be one of our continent’s biggest challenges, but our people have shown
incredible commitment to end suffering and achieve progress against this deadly, but preventable disease. We hope that other organisations join
our movement and support this noble cause.”
Although global investments in the malaria fight have helped to save 7
million lives and prevent more than 1 billion cases of malaria since
2000, COVID-19 now threatens these hard-won gains. WHO estimates that in the worst-case scenario, the new virus could double malaria deaths in
2020.
“Everyone has a role to play in the elimination of malaria, which is
what the Zero Malaria Starts with Me campaign embodies. Private sector
participation in malaria control and elimination is key, and Ecobank
Group is a leader who is well-placed to bring more like-minded partners
and resources to the table. Together, we can work to move malaria higher up on the political agenda by creating a strong network for action. We
call for more businesses to join us in our mission of freeing
communities from the burden of malaria”, concludes Yacine Djibo,
Executive Director, Speak Up Africa.
[1] https://endmalaria.org/sites/default/files/uploads/2017/10/FR-RBM-Africa-Gap-Analysis_240118_Digital-LR.pdf
About Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’ or ‘The Group’):
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) (www.Ecobank.com) is the parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading independent
pan-African banking group. The Ecobank Group employs over 15,000 people
and serves about 20 million customers in the consumer, commercial and
corporate banking sectors across 33 African countries. The Group has a
banking license in France and representative offices in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, China; London, the UK and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The Group offers a full suite of
banking products, services and solutions including bank and deposit
accounts, loans, cash management, advisory, trade, securities, wealth
and asset management. ETI is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchanges in
Lagos, the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, and the Bourse Régionale des
Valeurs Mobilières in Abidjan. For further information please visit www.Ecobank.com
More information about Ecobank can be found here:
About Speak Up Africa:
Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a strategic communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing leadership, enabling policy change, and increasing awareness for sustainable development in Africa – particularly around issues such as sanitation, immunization, malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
More information about Speak Up Africa can be found here:
Website: www.Speakupafrica.orgTwitter: www.twitter.com/SpeakUpAfrica1Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpeakUpAfrica
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupafrica/
About the African Union:
The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 Member States that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). The Department of Social Affairs (DSA) works to promote the AU’s health, labour, employment, migration, social development, drug control, crime prevention, sport, and cultural agenda. To ensure the realisation of its objectives and the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 was developed as a strategic framework for Africa’s long term socio-economic and integrative transformation. Agenda 2063 calls for greater collaboration and support for African led initiatives to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of African people.
Website: www.au.int Facebook: @AfricanUnionCommissionTwitter: @_AfricanUnion ; @AmiraDSA
About the RBM Partnership to End Malaria:
The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the largest global platform for coordinated action against malaria. Originally established as Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership in 1998, it mobilises for action and resources and forges consensus among partners. The Partnership is comprised of more than 500 partners, including malaria endemic countries, their bilateral and multilateral development partners, the private sector, nongovernmental and community-based organisations, foundations, and research and academic institutions. The RBM Partnership Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Website: www.endmalaria.org Facebook – @RBMPartnershipTwitter - @endmalaria
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