The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire globe and continues to alter life as we know it. But as COVID-19 cases soar in Europe, the United States, Brazil, and India, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa remain comparatively low. With a population of 1.2 billion and weak health infrastructure, experts feared that COVID-19 would severely impact the entire continent of Africa. Speculation is growing that Africa’s youth bulge and warmer climate could help spare most African countries from the worst...
Governments are spending trillions of dollars on COVID-19 response. By necessity, that spending is happening rapidly — yet often there is little or no oversight, increasing the risk that money is stolen or mismanaged and that additional lives are lost or ruined. Strong oversight and monitoring of emergency funds can help save lives. It can root out corruption and fraud, helping to ensure that money reaches its intended purpose. It enables markets to function effectively, potentially driving down prices, and...
So far, most countries in Africa are reporting comparatively low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a few countries accounting for most of the confirmed cases. But the impacts of food insecurity could end up being worse than the direct impacts of the health pandemic. The number of people experiencing acute food insecurity is expected to double to more than one-quarter of a billion people by end of 2020. And the World Bank estimates that between 26-39 million people in...