Each weekday the Foundation highlights a number of media articles that we have found interesting and relevant to COVID-19 in Africa. Sharing here is not an endorsement of the views linked, but a spur for further discussion. Join that discussion by engaging with one of our social media accounts, linked at the top of this page.
The recorded totals mentioned here are current as of 05:00 BST on 21 September 2020.
Read our report on COVID-19 in Africa, calling for coordinated governance, improved health structures and better data to mitigate this crisis.
| Source | Website | |
|---|---|---|
| AU CDC | COVID-19 Daily Update | @Africa CDC |
| Johns Hopkins University | COVID-19 data dashboard | @JohnsHopkinsSPH |
| WHO | COVID-19 homepage | @WHO |
- Africa has recorded 1,407,655 COVID-19 cases (data sourced from Johns Hopkins University).
- The UN Refugee Agency has warned that the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the struggles of millions of displaced people, with refugee settlements in several African countries facing severe funding cuts which will impact access to services for those in need.
- A joint report by the African Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank has found that Africa needs urgent funding support if it is to boost its trade sector in the wake of the pandemic. The report found a huge gap in trade finance, whereby financial institutions were not effectively supporting the sector.
The Minister of Agriculture pays tribute to the producers of Côte d'Ivoire
Ivorian Minister for Agriculture Kobénan Kouassi Adjoumani paid tribute to the food producers of Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting that the COVID-19 pandemic would have hit the country even worse should there have been food shortages.
Ghana extends COVID-19 restrictions for 3 months
Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced yesterday a three-month extension of restrictions to fight against the virus. The restrictions will include the mandatory wearing of face masks, and the extended closures of places like beaches, pubs, and cinemas, as well as land borders.
Kenyan prosecutor orders probe of coronavirus payments
Kenyan chief public prosecutor, Noordin Haji, has ordered an investigation into $71m of “irregular procurement” of funds linked to fighting the pandemic by Kemsa, in the latest set of allegations against the authority. A report by the national Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission submitted on Friday concluded that 7.8 billion Kenyan shillings of irregular procurement and fraudulent payments had been made.
Global preparation: how different countries planned for the second wave of COVID-19
South Africa has managed to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 so far, with a second peak in cases and deaths not coming in spite of the country emerging from a strict lockdown. Could the country’s relatively young population, or the fact that those living in crowded conditions already have immunity to different diseases, be the reason why?
