Search
Close this search box.

Review of FMS Liveblog: Corona in Africa. What did we learn?

By now, almost all African countries are affected by COVID-19. The situation is and remains dynamic, and we can see how the virus is having a major impact everywhere, not only on health but also politically, socio-economically and financially. Above all, there is still much uncertainty about the nature, extent and duration of the corona crisis. 

Many African countries were able to take quick action due to the delayed arrival of COVID-19. Early border controls and lockdowns have likely slowed down the virus' surrender. But navigating from such short-term measures to a long-term strategy is far from simple. What are the most urgent priorities for international support to these countries? What new bottlenecks has the corona crisis revealed and what existing bottlenecks has it exacerbated? And how, precisely, has this situation also enhanced the resilience and entrepreneurship of African countries? Over the past few months, the FMS tried to bring this into focus as much as possible through our liveblog 'Corona in Africa'. Now we conclude the blog with a (preliminary) answer to these pressing questions.

Priorities for international support

COVID-19 hits the most vulnerable countries the hardest and without outside support, they may find themselves in life-threatening situations. Initially, (international) assistance is needed in terms of medical care. Even though African countries have been able to make rapid progress when it comes to their testing capacity (at the beginning of the crisis, only 2 countries were able to diagnose the virus, there are now almost 47), there is still a need for more testing, more protective equipment for health care providers and the ability to set up temporary field hospitals to care for corona patients. The WHO plays a coordinating role here and the Netherlands, including through the EU, can also provide support by initiating initiatives around the transport of medical supplies, in coordination with the African Union and the African countries themselves. The 100 million recently released by the Netherlands is a good start. The money will go partly to prevention (including education) and emergency aid. Consider helping organisations that can provide clean water and soap.

International support includes the provision of food aid. In addition to disappointing harvests due to climate change and locust infestations, the corona crisis is now increasing food insecurity in Africa. In the absence of income (partly due to a lockdown), financial reserves and social safety nets, after all, famine is more likely. To still create a temporary safety net, debt relief and interest-free loans (e.g. from the IMF) could offer a solution. This could enable vulnerable countries to release funds to tackle health, social and economic crises.

Other bottlenecks

The corona crisis also shows that some countries are more vulnerable than others, partly due to social problems. For example, there are major concerns around the practicality of long-term (semi-)lockdowns in Africa. Mainly because isolation in general is not always realistic in African countries. For instance, access to clean drinking water or good healthcare is not a guarantee in many slums and refugee camps. In addition, people often live in small spaces very close together, which makes keeping distance anything but a given. And it is precisely these people, working within the informal economy, who live hand-to-mouth. So staying at home is often not an option in the current circumstances: 'You will either die of hunger, or of corona', it is said. 

The consequences of corrupt leadership and abuses of power are also inevitably revealed by the current crisis. Good governance is now more important than ever. Many African leaders must now rethink their existing approaches to economic, social and political problems. Listening to and collaborating with local authorities, civil society and young, creative entrepreneurs is crucial to deal with the crisis and its consequences. This applies to African leaders as well as foreign organisations and governments.    

A continent full of opportunities

Just now, the continent is showing resilience and as an equal partner to the rest of the world in finding creative and innovative solutions to the pandemic. Farmers in Zimbabwe sell their produce through social media and a home delivery service. At a flower farm in Uganda, 500 workers are staying on makeshift beds set up two metres away to avoid bankruptcy and preserve jobs. With a severe shortage of ventilators, Nigerian engineers learned to repair ventilators for local hospitals (for free), and so on. Now is precisely the time to invest in collaborations with local talent and local experts especially as international support is struggling to get going due to lockdowns and closed borders. Also, better use should be made of the diaspora and their network, in order to face the crisis not only in Africa, but also globally. Thus, Africa not only needs help, but as a continent with diverse perspectives and years of experience, it can offer a lot of help.

Want to read back the liveblog? You can this page!

By: Hester de Klerk
Photo: Reuters, Baz Ratner