All funds raised will go towards the United Nations' World Food Programme and the UN Children's Fund (Unicef) for Covid-19 assistance for children and families that need it most.

The two-hour concert will be streamed and broadcast to millions of people across the continent and will be hosted by actor Idris Elba.

The coronavirus, which has infected more than 5.5 million worldwide and killed more than 346,000, has affected the livelihoods of ordinary Africans as well as the global economy, threatening food security and the well-being of children, especially in Africa.

The virus, which hasn’t spread as rapidly across Africa as it did in most other parts of the world, has infected 113,000 people, with experts saying that once it peaks on the continent, it will have a devastating impact.

As African governments continue to impose lockdown measures to contain the spread of the virus, the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a major concern. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says severe and mounting disruption in the global supply of PPE is putting lives at risk, especially front-line responders.

Despite the grim picture that is being painted, just over 46,000 people in Africa have recovered from the deadly disease, leaving the number of active cases at 64,170 as of May 25.

African News Agency (ANA)