Coronavirus

Three-dimensional renditions of three respiratory viruses: (left: SARS-CoV-2; centre: RSV; right: influenza virus).

Pandemic treaty deadline nears as disputes over pathogen-sharing rules persist

Disputes over pathogen-sharing rules risk delaying the WHO pandemic treaty ahead of a May 2026 deadline

An overcrowded refugee boat capsizes in the Mediterranean Sea. The current economic and political situation in Africa has already fuelled a sharp rise in migration. Last September (2023), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 2,500 people had died or gone missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in the first nine months of 2023, with many more perishing before they reached the coast. During that same period, 130,000 migrants, many departing from Tunisia or Libya, landed in Italy. These numbers will increase sharply if Africa’s population growth is not coupled with improving economic conditions. Worryingly, the International Monetary Fund’s current forecasts suggest GDP growth of around 4 per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa for the next two years – well below long-term trends. The current influx of mass migration to European countries such as Italy, Spain, and Greece may be only the beginning.

Africa needs a grand revival plan from the West and China

Africa's crises have fuelled a surge in migration to Europe unlikely to abate soon unless rapid population growth is matched by improving economic conditions

Storm clouds gathering over Accra, Ghana. Nineteen African countries, including Ghana and Zambia, are already in debt distress (meaning they are unable to meet financial obligations) or at high risk of debt distress. Ghana’s public debt has more than doubled since 2012 and amounts to 85 per cent of GDP. Zambia’s went up much higher and stood at 98 per cent as of 2022. Both Ghana and Zambia, along with Ethiopia, have defaulted on their foreign debt, sparking fears about a broader sovereign debt crisis on the continent if more countries fall into debt distress.

Fixes for Africa’s exploding debt and collapsing currencies

Highly indebted African countries face stark trade-offs between servicing expensive debt, supporting growing development needs, and stabilising domestic currencies

Uganda’s prolonged closure of schools: the impact is deep and uneven

To understand how the prolonged closure of schools affected the lives of adolescents in Uganda we conducted interviews with 36 young people and predominantly from a low socio-economic status

The World Bank and IMF are using flawed logic in their quest to do away with the informal sector

Recent reports by the World Bank and the IMF claim, wrongly, that informal economies undermine efforts to boost tax income and economic growth

Central bank keeps rate unchanged, flags volatile economic and financial conditions

The Bank of Uganda kept its key policy rate unchanged to provide more economic stimulus amidst volatile demand, sluggish private sector borrowing, and the effects of coronavirus restrictions to key sectors

Covid-19 pandemic reminds us that Africa must invest in human capital

It is human capital that will provide the strongest cushion in future crises, especially those that overwhelm social safety nets

Business recovery from Covid-19 and election uncertainty continues apace

Private sector activity gauge rises for the third straight month in April, jumping to its highest level in 15 months

India’s Covid crisis is bad news for the world economy

India’s second coronavirus wave has had a devastating impact, with over 300,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths each day

More Coronavirus

20 May 2020

Coronavirus profiteers: Protecting Africa from vulture funds

Some $117 billion of Sub-Saharan African countries’ roughly $150n in long-term debt to private creditors is in the form of bonds, with debtor countries owing the bondholders about $8bn per year. But markets are clearly not confident that these countries will meet their obligations

Abidjan's central business district, with the headquarters of the African Development Bank visible

19 May 2020

Lockdown update: Easing to begin next week

President Museveni said Tuesday that the lockdown easing he announced yesterday will not come into effect until a week later, after the health ministry issues guidelines on the face masks required to go out in public

Garden City Mall in Nairobi during the coronavirus outbreak

19 May 2020

Museveni lifts lockdown — or did he?

Going into President Museveni's 18th speech on the Covid-19 pandemic, there was wide expectation that he would announce a relaxation of lockdown measures instituted in March and April

16 May 2020

Monitor Publications cuts pay as Vision Group lays off staff

Monitor Publications Limited, part of the Nation Media Group, became the latest media company to cut salaries of its employees in response to a decline in revenue caused by the coronavirus outbreak

Offices of the Monitor Publications Limited in Namuwongo

15 May 2020

How to protect Covid-19 response funds from looters

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, up to 25% of global procurement funding is lost to corruption. With billions of dollars flowing into African countries to support their Covid-19 responses, there is an urgent need to ensure that the money goes where it is intended

12 May 2020

The army and violence: handling of coronavirus crisis hints at change

In recent months Uganda’s army has shown professionalism and discipline in dealing with a number of crises, including a desert locust invasion and a national electricity outage. The inter-agency COVID-19 taskforce is led by the army, although it was set up expressly to support the health ministry

7 May 2020