Op-Ed: Rebuilding Africa after Covid-19

United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J Mohamed writes:

These are challenging times for Africa and the rest of our global village.

As of May 24, 2020, 54 countries in Africa had recorded more than 100 000 Covid-19 cases and over 3 000 deaths.

And while the number of cases continues to grow, it could have been much worse had it not been for African governments taking preventive action despite weakened environments.

We mourn the lives of the people we have lost and recognise the sorrow and burden of the families and loved ones they have left behind.

Life as we have known it, has changed in unimaginable ways.

Also read: President Ramaphosa highlights the importance of a united Africa during Africa Day address

Economies and livelihoods have been heavily affected as the demand for Africa’s commodities has fallen and tourism has declined sharply.

Already, the price of oil, which accounts for 40 per cent of Africa’s exports and 7.4 per cent of GDP, has declined by half, sharply reducing revenues for countries like Nigeria and Angola.

A similar price crash in coffee and cocoa has lowered earnings for Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire and other producers.

Informal workers, 85.8 per cent of the labour force, lacking social protection or buffers against economic shocks, are facing the devastating consequences.

This is especially true for women workers who make up the majority of this sector.

Africa’s economic growth could contract by 2.6 per cent, pushing about 29 million more people into extreme poverty.

As the toll mounts, learning has been suspended, forcing children out of school, creating uncertainty about whether they will be able to continue their education and losing some of the precious gains realised over the past five years.

Shortages of food stuffs, including maize, cooking oil and wheat flour, could trigger a food crisis if problems such as the swarms of locusts devouring crops and pastures in Eastern Africa are not tackled.

The disruption of global supply chains is also considerably affecting export capacities.

Also read: Covid-19 lockdown: South Africa moves to level 3 from June 1

The pandemic has brought long-standing fragilities and inequalities into sharp relief, including systemic discrimination against women and girls.

There has also been an alarming rise in levels of violence in the home, and rights-based abuses under the lockdown.

These are just some of the reports we get daily, stories of pain, anxiety, frustration and anguish.

But there is also hope, rooted in the customary spirit of African solidarity and kindness, of Ubuntu (I am because we are).

Doctors, nurses, other frontline workers and ordinary citizens, men and women, old and young, are demonstrating sacrifice, courage and commitment in the fight against the pandemic.

Women constitute 70 per cent of the healthcare workforce; they are risking their lives to save others, serving as nurses, laundry workers, catering assistants and more.

The African Union (AU) leadership responded swiftly to the crisis, setting up a coordinated continental approach, establishing an Anti-Covid-19 Response Fund and appointing special envoys to mobilise international support.

Also read: Covid-19: Africa’s coronavirus cases top 100 000

The UN, led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has mobilised to support African states to prepare for, respond to and suppress the pandemic.

The AU’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is coordinating with WHO and other partners to provide countries with training and medical supplies.

Young Africans are coming up with innovative solutions to healthcare challenges.

Governments have announced relief measures.

Companies are repurposing their production lines to make face masks, sanitisers, gowns and more.

Beyond the health response, the UN quickly scaled up its activities across the peace and security, humanitarian and development nexus to support the African response to Covid-19.

Guided by a Socio-Economic Response Framework, the UN is working across Africa to support governments in addressing the socio-economic impacts of the crisis, from ensuring essential health services, social protection and basic services to protecting jobs, guiding fiscal and macroeconomic policies and promoting social cohesion and community resilience.

The UN Secretary-General has called for more than $200-billion for Africa as part of a comprehensive global response package, as well as an across-the-board debt standstill, options towards debt sustainability and solutions for structural issues in the international debt architecture.

These positive developments help keep hope alive.

Just a few months ago, Africa’s fortunes were on the upswing.

Some of the world’s fastest-growing economies were on the continent.

Also read: Covid-19: South Africa could go up to 3.7-million cases by November 1

Increasing internet access continued to expand the frontiers of innovation for Africans, the youth in particular.

Declining rates of poverty and infant mortality signalled that Africa was on the right development path, anchored by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The inter-connectedness of African countries and particularly border communities requires that the continent continues to depend on pan-African solidarity in the Covid-19 fight.

The African proverb “You cannot clap with one hand” rings as true as ever.

In the words of Nelson Mandela, “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.”

Dear reader,

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.