President Paul Kagame on Sunday joined various African leaders and heads of global financial institutions in France, for twin summit meetings that will seek to help Sudan in its new dispensation and also provide Africa with critical financing needed to minimise Covid-19 effects. The meetings will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, in Paris. With over 20 African heads of state due to attend Tuesdays summit, the conference will be one of the biggest high-level meetings held during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the summit, President Kagame met with Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sunday evening. He also met Sahle Work Zewde, the President of Ethiopia. On Monday, the leaders will discuss strategies to rally support for the Sudanese government under Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. This, according to a communique from organisers, will be followed by a summit Tuesday on financing African economies. While the continent has only been relatively hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, compared to other regions, the economic cost is only too apparent. The IMF in March warned that Africa faces a shortfall in the funds needed for future development a financial gap of $290 billion up to 2023.
