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SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

Coronavirus in Africa: opportunity to reshape development

COVID-19 is a major global crisis that is exposing the lack of resilience of an increasingly highly connected world, and it is certainly not ... going to be the last.  But can it be an opportunity to rethink development and what governments stand for, rather than simply fixing market failures when they arise? Can it be an opportunity to shift towards actively shaping and creating markets that deliver sustainable and inclusive growth?

RAPID RESPONSE

South African corporates step up to fight coronavirus

The spike in demand for hand sanitiser has spurred Sasol to develop a new variant of its alcohol-based chemicals to help manufacturers fill the ... gap.

Article 8/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 30 March – 3 April"

Saudi stalling

G5 Sahel: Why are millions of dollars pledged by Saudi Arabia being withheld?

The $100m sum pledged by Saudi Arabia in December 2018, meant to fund G5 Sahel military operations, has yet to be released due to a dispute with ... France.

Footfall in Freefall

Coronavirus shows African airports must cut reliance on passenger revenue

How to make money from airports without passengers? Coronavirus is showing African airports that they need to learn fast. ...

Corona calm

Moving towards a ceasefire in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions

On Wednesday, 25 March, the Southern Cameroons Defence Forces (SOCADEF), an Ambazonian armed group, agreed to the United Nations’ call for ... a ceasefire due to the coronavirus outbreak impacting the country.

Damage Limitation

Coronavirus: Africa must act on World Bank/IMF debt-relief proposal

Coronavirus compounds existing poverty challenges in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and requires urgent action to avoid economic collapse. ...

Article 9/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 30 March – 3 April"

Talking Africa podcast

Lagos, Johannesburg, Nairobi – Coronavirus lockdown

Most countries on the continent have put in place measures to tackle to the pandemic. ...

Worst fears

Coronavirus in war-torn Libya fuels worst-case scenario fears

Libya, a war-torn country with a health care system that is already on the verge of collapse, has officially confirmed its first case of ... COVID-19.

AU Audit

African Union finance directorate undergoes an audit

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union commission, has ordered an external audit of key AU directorates for the 2012-2018 period. ... Such an audit would be the first for the pan-African organisation.

concerned citizens

Nigeria: Lagos prepares for life in a coronavirus lockdown

What is life like in a Lagos preparing for lockdown? ...

PRESIDENTIAL PROWESS

Côte d’Ivoire: Bédié and Gbagbo react to Ouattara’s withdrawal

Côte d’Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara announced on 5 March that he would pass the torch to a new generation, but leader of the Democratic ... Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) Henri Konan Bédié and former president Laurent Gbagbo have every intention of pursuing their presidential ambitions.

Flying criticism

Ethiopian Airlines to China: last international carrier standing

Lambasted for maintaining its flights to China at the height of the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines has stood its ground and currently operates ... flights to and from Europe, the new epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak. This makes the carrier one of the last companies still operating intercontinental flights.  

Article 9/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"

northern isolation

Boko Haram attacks in northern Cameroon continue unabated

While the attention of the authorities and the international community has shifted to the Anglophone Cameroon, attacks perpretrated by Boko Haram ... have resumed in the far north of the country.

Step Change

Coordinated response can protect African garments industry from coronavirus fallout

Exports of African textiles and garments have grown rapidly over the past decade, but US and European orders for African garments have dried ... up as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Article 7/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"

Community Health

Zimbabwe is among African states least ready to tackle coronavirus

Urban areas in Zimbabwe are the most at risk to the virus in southern Africa, Dr. Ndumiso Tshuma, a public health specialist from Zimbabwe now ... working in Johannesburg, told The Africa Report.

Cameroon violence virus

Cameroon’s Anglophone regions hit by violence during partial legislative polls

Voters from 11 constituencies located in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions were once again called upon to cast their votes for partial legislative ... elections, held on 22 March, after the Constitutional Council decided to nullify the 9 February vote. However, the latest round was marred by violence and aroused little interest.

virus Raoulted?

Coronavirus: 9 things to know about chloroquine

There is renewed interest in chloroquine now that a number of doctors have asserted that it has beneficial effects on COVID-19 patients. However, ... the scientific community is still divided over such claims.

Article 8/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"

When God Was Angry

Coronavirus: far to go before rivalling Spanish Flu of 1918

The Spanish Flu, spread by troop movements at the end of World War One, was the planet’s worst ever pandemic, and killed nearly 2% of Africa’s ... population in six months.

Article 10/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"

Nigerian delay

Nigerian private sector needs to stay home

As Nigeria wakes up to its new reality of the pandemic in its borders; decision-makers at both the government and the private sector need to ... take action to ensure the virus doesn't spread as fast it has in other countries. But with the private sector still lagging in this, and the government late to implement measures, many wonder if it's already a hopeless situation.

Article 4/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"

Kenyan cuts

Kenyan government agree to pay cuts, curfew imposed as coronavirus cases grow

Kenya's executive has agreed to pay cuts as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced on ... Wednesday.

Article 1/10 of "Corona Chronicles: 23-27 March"