Background Briefing on COVID-19 in Africa and the U.S. Response
Date and time
Location
Description
MEDIA ADVISORY |April 22, 2020 Background Briefing on COVID-19 in Africa and the U.S. Response
EVENT:
Please join us on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, for a telephonic press briefing with a senior U.S. official speaking on background about the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.
BACKGROUND:
The United States is the undisputed leader in the provision of health and humanitarian aid, around the world and has continued to demonstrate its global leadership in public health and humanitarian assistance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. State Department, USAID, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are working together to support health systems, humanitarian assistance, and economic, security, and stabilization efforts worldwide with $2.7 billion in emergency supplemental funding. In Africa, the U.S is providing more than $65 million in health assistance that will help governments with laboratory preparations, case-finding activities and event-based surveillance, support technical experts for response and preparedness, risk communication, infection prevention and control, and more.
DETAILS:
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Time: 14:00 SAST (Johannesburg) | 12:00 UTC | 08:00 EDT
* Please use Time Zone Converter to determine the start time of the event for your location.
Language: English. French interpretation will be offered.
Ground rules: ON BACKGROUND, attributed to a Senior Administration Official
Twitter: We will use the hashtag #AFHubPress for the call. Follow us at @AfricaMediaHub.
LOGISTICS:
- Callers should dial in to the conference call at least 10 minutes early. The operator will ask for your name, press affiliation, and location.
- Speaker will give brief opening remarks, and then the moderator will open the floor to questions.
- Participants will be instructed to press “1”, then “0”, on their phones to enter the question and answer queue. You may also submit questions in advance via email to afmediahub@state.gov .
- Questions from French line must be submitted in ENGLISH in advance via Eventbrite (when you RSVP), or during the call via email to afmediahub@state.gov.
- If you experience technical difficulties during the call, you may email afmediahub@state.gov to alert the moderator.
Additional Resources:
- April 8 Press Statement from Secretary Pompeo: Continuing U.S. Leadership in the Global COVID-19 Response through Additional U.S Foreign Assistance
- U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet: The United States is Leading the Humanitarian and Health Assistance Response to COVID-19
- March 26 Press Statement from Secretary of State Pompeo: U.S. Foreign Assistance in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Organized by
The Africa Regional Media Hub, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, is part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Public Affairs and works to connect U.S. policy makers and experts with media in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the Office of International Media Engagement, we work in collaboration with Public Affairs offices at U.S. Embassies throughout Africa.
The Africa Hub conducts and arranges interviews and media briefings with U.S. officials on regional and multilateral policy issues with media in sub-Saharan Africa. Africa Hub events are interactive, using available technology, and provide an opportunity for the African media to interact directly with U.S. officials. The Africa Hub produces content, such as video and audio podcasts and transcripts, for placement with African television and radio broadcasters and other media.