The large-scale spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa raises numerous concerns about the extent of readiness of its countries in countering the epidemic and the nature and magnitude of the losses they sustain. These concerns get even worse in view of the challenges faced by the continent on all fronts, particularly with regard to the continent’s poor health system and the possible consequences of failure to counter the pandemic. This maximizes the continent’s political, economic, security and social costs in a manner that would adversely reflect on the future of the African continent and its relationship with the outside world going forward.
Features of the pandemic spread in Africa: indications and significance
Africa’s losses from COVID-19
The COVID-19 spread in Africa places severe strains on health, the economy and security. It is endangering African lives and economies. Besides, efforts made to control the disease are likely to be extremely costly.[18]
Political effects
Economic effects
Most expectations have indicated that African economies have been adversely affected by the pandemic spread. Some even put forward pessimistic scenarios about the continent’s future in this respect.
Health effects
Social effects
Security effects
Impact of the escalating epidemic crisis on Africa’s relationship with the international order
Future of the African continent in view of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic
Conclusions
Endnotes
[1] Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Coronavirus Spreads through Africa, 5 May 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/2yK80AF
[2] Giovanni Carbone, Camillo Casola, The Coronavirus Will Hit Africa Hard, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Rome, 9 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/35ONjQ5
[3] Prepared by the researcher based on data released by the African Arguments website on the number of infections in Africa as of 9 May 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3bnLWcc
[4] Giovanni Carbone, Ibid.
[5] Idem.
[6] African Union, Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 Outbreak, 5 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3clOqcH
[7] Giovanni Carbone, Camillo Casola, Ibid.
[8] Institute for Security Studies, COVID-19: South Africa takes charge at home and on the continent, Pretoria, 22 April 2020, Available at: https://bit.ly/2ztCPcG
[9] Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Africa Adaptions to the COVID-19 Response, Washington, 15 April 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3bse7XO
[10] Ugo Tramballi, I virus dell'Africa, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Rome, 9 April 2020, Available at: https://bit.ly/3fFi12u
[11] Idem.
[12] Shannon Smith, Managing Health and Economic Priorities as the COVID-19 Pandemic Spreads in Africa, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Washington, 30 March 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3fD2SPr
[13] Dr. Essa Abdi Djama, DOES SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA NECESSITATE A UNIQUE RESPONSE TO COVID-19? MORE THAN TEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE NO VENTILATORS!, Somaliland Chronicle, 28 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2zpvpr2
[14] Giovanni Carbone, Camillo Casola, Ibid.
[15] Philip Obaji (and others), Africa's paradox: It may be the worst and best place to ride out coronavirus, USA Today, 30 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2zu1Bte
[16] The Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Five Myths about Coronavirus in Africa, Washington, 27 March 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/2xRjEcB
[17] Wendy Williams, COVID-19 and Africa’s Displacement Crisis, The Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Washington, 25 March 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3cndjEO
[18] Shannon Smith, Op.cit.
[19] Philip Obaji (and Others), Ibid.
[20] Judd Devermont, COVID-19 Is an African Political Crisis as Much as a Health and Economic Emergency, Center for Strategic & International Studies, 18 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2LnMNyZ
[21] Institute for Security Studies, Towards a regional response to COVID-19 in the Horn, Pretoria, 22 April 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3ckqtCw
[22] Idem.
[23] Institute for Security Studies, COVID-19 compounds security threats in West and Central Africa, Pretoria, 20 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/35ZB17P
[24] African Union, Ibid.
[25] Brahima Coulibaly, The G20’s action on debt is an important first step; now for the hard part, The Africa Report, 20 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3cnCyXw
[26] African Union, Ibid.
[27] Kartik Jayaram (and Others), Tackling COVID-19 in Africa, McKinsey& Company, 1 April 2020. Available at: https://mck.co/2SRa8NG
[28] Idem.
[29] African Union, Ibid.
[30] Kartik Jayaram (and Others), Idim.
[31] Dr. Essa Abdi Djama, Op. cit.
[32] Shannon Smith, Op. cit.
[33] Chuku Chuku, STEPS TO INOCULATE AFRICAN ECONOMIES AGAINST THE IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS, Somaliland Chronicle, 28 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3dvVMuf
[34] Japhet Biegon, 19 years ago today, African countries vowed to spend 15% on health, African Arguments, 27 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2YQUGVN
[35] Shannon Smith, What the Coronavirus means for Africa, The Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Washington, 4 February 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/35UHQav
[36] Nicholas Norbrook, Coronavirus: WHO warns of 190,000 deaths in Africa, The Africa Report, 8 May 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2WjbdjI
[37] Giovanni Carbone, Il coronavirus scuote l’Africa, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Rome, 9 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2yNPveH
[38] Shannon Smith, Op. cit.
[39] Dr. Essa Abdi Djama, Op. cit.
[40] John Cambell, How Jihadi Groups in Africa Will Exploit COVID-19, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), 3 April 2020. Available at: https://on.cfr.org/2STbeIW
[41] John Cambell, Idem.
[42] Giovanni Carbone, Il coronavirus scuote l’Africa, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Rome, 9 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3fIZyT5
[43] Institute for Security Studies, The African Union’s structures and mechanisms put to the test, Pretoria, 20 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3fAWjwJ
[44] Morné van der Merwe (and others), South Africa: The Impact of COVID-19 on Key African Sectors, Global Compliance News, 26 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3dyncQ1
[45] Nina Callaghan and Mark Swilling, Covid-19: Economic impact on East and southern Africa, Daily Maverick, 27 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2xRk0jr
[46] Sergio Carciotto, COVID-19 could stall Africa’s integration agenda, Pretoria, 29 April 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Lf30Xm
[47] John Cambell, How Jihadi Groups in Africa Will Exploit COVID-19, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), 3 April 2020. Available at: https://on.cfr.org/3fA0pFj
Zeinab F. Shuker | 21 Jan 2021
EPC | 12 Jan 2021
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