This is the 9th post in a blog series to be published in 2021 by the Secretariat on behalf of the AU High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) and the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogues (CJED)

As of the 5th of March 2021, 3,948,029 Africans have been infected with the coronavirus disease, according to the Africa CDC data[1]. Of this number, 105,275 Africans have sadly passed on. It goes without saying that some Africans have lost their lives and livelihoods due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is predominantly viewed as a health issue. However, it is a multi-sectoral crisis with consequent impacts. The pandemic highlights social inequalities from increased food insecurity due to strained economies and loss of livelihoods and businesses. Africa's operational systems have been additionally challenged, more especially concerning agro-food and healthcare systems of the continent.[2] As such, the socio-economic disruption caused by the pandemic has had devastating effects on millions of Africans, such as erasing gains made in poverty alleviation and the loss of livelihoods.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has tempered with the well-being and social framework of the African people. This has disrupted and reduced the social order of human contact that has negatively impacted mental health for numerous people. The World Economic Forum[3],  in a report, describes lockdown measures due to COVID-19 as "the world's biggest psychological experiment". The report identified that the pandemic has impacts on general well-being and mental health, as represented in a wide range of symptoms of psychological stress and disorder, including low mood, insomnia, stress, anxiety, anger, irritability, emotional exhaustion, depression and post-traumatic stress.

Healthcare and pandemic experts have predicted that COVID-19 may linger much longer within the human population.[4] Therefore, addressing the impacts of the pandemic requires a multi-sectoral approach, and this calls for experience sharing and multi-stakeholder engagement towards addressing challenges posed. The African Union High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET), as part of mitigation strategies against the impact of the pandemic, identified that it became expedient for Africans to share experiences between those that have been infected and affected by the pandemic. This was carried out during the first Calestous Juma Executive Dialogue Webinar held on the 24th of February 2021.

On this platform, African policymakers, decision-makers, and leaders shared their unique personal and national experiences in an informal panel outlay. This offered these African stakeholders insights into forging strategic pandemic recovery programmes and developmental policies. Furthermore, the platform assisted its stakeholders in manoeuvring their way forward, particularly as economic activities are gradually resuming in several African countries.

According to the Africa CDC, "The disease spreads from person to person through infected air droplets that are projected during sneezing or coughing.  It can also be transmitted when humans have contact with hands or surfaces that contain the virus and touch their eyes, nose, or mouth with the contaminated hands"[5]. As such, participants were of the opinion that schools, workplaces, hospitals, public transportation, and other social gatherings could become super-spreaders of the virus if suggested preventative measures have not been put in place. Necessary preventative measures need be emphatically installed within these socio-economic gatherings so to reduce the viral-spreading potential.

Another lingering challenge during the experience sharing was the need to address the stigmatisation that some people experience after their COVID-19 infection status, as it causes infected patients to be discrete.[6] It was identified that some COVID-19 infected persons do not declare their status in fear of being stigmatised and possibly losing their jobs and businesses. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 infected people do not disclose their status, it can lead to the further spreading of this viral disease.

Participants also shared experiences on the pandemic's impact on the education sector, thus leading to the closure of a majority of schools and universities across the continent. Consequently, this has led to financial strains within the educational system. Numerous non-governmentally supported schools and universities have failed to meet their financial obligations, such as paying goods and service providers. Such schools and universities have also struggled to cater for salaries, more especially for non-academic staff. This has consequently led to job losses for some Africans dependent on operational schooling-based value chain businesses. On the other hand, there has also been an increase in unwanted pregnancies, as well as alcohol, substance, and drug abuse in learners. This has been observed to increase crime occurrences among the school-going populations.

Further to these discussions was an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on other socio-economic activities such as the agro-food sector, mining sector, and the manufacturing sector, among others. Participants noted that such activities had to cease or partially cease operations during the pandemic; thereby, causing losses of jobs and income.

Participants offered some recommendations to challenges posed by the pandemic. Mitigating the impact of losses of jobs and businesses requires Africans to learn new skills and diversify their income and resources into multiple streams of investments. To aid the reskilling processes, Africans are encouraged to utilise and harness online platforms for learning new skills, upskilling, and venturing into e-commerce. For African businesses that are already operational, they are encouraged to consider incorporating digital technologies and digital platforms to integrate and increase capacity. These technologies offer increased productivity at relatively reduced costs when measured over time. They also ensure continued work even with reduced staff capacity.

Small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) have also experienced economic restrictions and job losses because of national lockdowns across the world. Thankfully, it was observed that some SMEs have resorted to utilising online trading platforms that embrace virtual and digitised e-trading environments. For example, some businesses in the South African tourism industry have adapted by creating virtual platforms through which tourists can still enjoy the beautiful nature of the African continent. Consequently, such strategic measures of virtual platforms have helped save numerous jobs and income. Africa's SMEs are, thus, encouraged to be innovative by digitising their industrial activities so as to seamlessly adjust to the "New Normal".

Finally, as African countries are observing varied socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to respond collectively as a continent towards strategic development policy frameworks. This can be achieved through sharing personal and national experiences that may effectively influence pandemic recovery and developmental policy. Such policy frameworks may help the African continent combat the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic going forward. Consequently, this can ensure humanitarian and recovery assistance towards various socio-economic communities that need urgent relief. Finally, this can help African governments overcome the intertwined health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic so to prevent an escalation of protracted humanitarian and economic catastrophes.

To access the recording of this webinar or be included in future webinars of the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogue, please send an email to barbarag@nepad.org.

Featured Bloggers – APET Secretariat

Justina Dugbazah

Barbara Glover

Bhekani Mbuli

Chifundo Kungade

[1] https://africacdc.org/covid-19/

[2] https://socialprotection.org/discover/news/impact-covid-19-peoples-livelihoods-their-health-and-our-food-systems.

[3] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/this-is-the-psychological-side-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-that-were-ignoring/

[4] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/when-will-the-covid-19-pandemic-end.

[5] https://africacdc.org/covid-19/

[6] Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz, Mohamed Alorabi, Social Stigma: The Hidden Threat of COVID-19, Front. Public Health, 28 August 2020: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00429.