Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new climate of uncertainty which is fuelling protectionism and playing into nationalist narratives. Globalisation is under significant threat as governments scramble to reduce their vulnerability to the virus by limiting global trade and flows of peopl...

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Main Authors: Sanni Yaya, Akaninyene Otu, Ronald Labonté
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-06-01
Series:Globalization and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-020-00581-4
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spelling doaj-d49bcb91cbbf4c828aedcf7e0d71b9962020-11-25T03:47:51ZengBMCGlobalization and Health1744-86032020-06-011611710.1186/s12992-020-00581-4Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challengesSanni Yaya0Akaninyene Otu1Ronald Labonté2School of International Development and Global Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of OttawaDepartment of Infection and Travel Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustSchool of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of OttawaAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new climate of uncertainty which is fuelling protectionism and playing into nationalist narratives. Globalisation is under significant threat as governments scramble to reduce their vulnerability to the virus by limiting global trade and flows of people. With the imposition of border closures and strict migration measures, there have been major disruptions in Africa’s global supply chains with adverse impacts on employment and poverty. The African economies overly reliant on single export-orientated industries, such as oil and gas, are expected to be severely hit. This situation is further aggravated by tumbling oil prices and a lowered global demand for African non-oil products. The agricultural sector, which should buffer these shocks, is also being affected by the enforcement of lockdowns which threaten people’s livelihoods and food security. Lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa and the issue of public health pandemic response will need to be addressed by enacting context-specific policies which should be implemented in a humane way. In addressing the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on African nations, we argue that governments should prioritize social protection programmes to provide people with resources to maintain economic productivity while limiting job losses. International funders are committing assistance to Africa for this purpose, but generally as loans (adding to debt burdens) rather than as grants. G20 agreement so suspend debt payments for a year will help, but is insufficient to fiscal need. Maintaining cross-border trade and cooperation to continue generating public revenues is desirable. New strategies for diversifying African economies and limiting their dependence on external funding by promoting trade with a more regionalised (continental) focus as promoted by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, while not without limitations, should be explored. While it is premature to judge the final economic and death toll of COVID-19, African leaders’ response to the pandemic, and the support they receive from wealthier nations, will determine its eventual outcomes.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-020-00581-4COVID-19GlobalisationGovernanceEconomic policiesRecessionGlobal health
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Sanni Yaya
Akaninyene Otu
Ronald Labonté
spellingShingle Sanni Yaya
Akaninyene Otu
Ronald Labonté
Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
Globalization and Health
COVID-19
Globalisation
Governance
Economic policies
Recession
Global health
author_facet Sanni Yaya
Akaninyene Otu
Ronald Labonté
author_sort Sanni Yaya
title Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
title_short Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
title_full Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
title_fullStr Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
title_full_unstemmed Globalisation in the time of COVID-19: repositioning Africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
title_sort globalisation in the time of covid-19: repositioning africa to meet the immediate and remote challenges
publisher BMC
series Globalization and Health
issn 1744-8603
publishDate 2020-06-01
description Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new climate of uncertainty which is fuelling protectionism and playing into nationalist narratives. Globalisation is under significant threat as governments scramble to reduce their vulnerability to the virus by limiting global trade and flows of people. With the imposition of border closures and strict migration measures, there have been major disruptions in Africa’s global supply chains with adverse impacts on employment and poverty. The African economies overly reliant on single export-orientated industries, such as oil and gas, are expected to be severely hit. This situation is further aggravated by tumbling oil prices and a lowered global demand for African non-oil products. The agricultural sector, which should buffer these shocks, is also being affected by the enforcement of lockdowns which threaten people’s livelihoods and food security. Lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa and the issue of public health pandemic response will need to be addressed by enacting context-specific policies which should be implemented in a humane way. In addressing the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on African nations, we argue that governments should prioritize social protection programmes to provide people with resources to maintain economic productivity while limiting job losses. International funders are committing assistance to Africa for this purpose, but generally as loans (adding to debt burdens) rather than as grants. G20 agreement so suspend debt payments for a year will help, but is insufficient to fiscal need. Maintaining cross-border trade and cooperation to continue generating public revenues is desirable. New strategies for diversifying African economies and limiting their dependence on external funding by promoting trade with a more regionalised (continental) focus as promoted by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, while not without limitations, should be explored. While it is premature to judge the final economic and death toll of COVID-19, African leaders’ response to the pandemic, and the support they receive from wealthier nations, will determine its eventual outcomes.
topic COVID-19
Globalisation
Governance
Economic policies
Recession
Global health
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12992-020-00581-4
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