COVID-19 has ravaged and devastated economies, fracturing communities’ social safety and exposing individuals to unemployment, homelessness, a heightened sense of loneliness, a careless world, and mental health challenges. These effects of COVID-19, though the world over, have been felt even more in the Global South, especially in Africa. Unfortunately, the light touch of the first wave might have created a false sense of escaping for many African countries, robbing the continent of precious time to better prepare for subsequent waves.
At a time of a health crisis, societal tensions, and social-political unrest in South Africa, now, more than ever, we need to bring a meaning to solidarity and put our hands and hearts together to explore how we can rebuild social cohesion and peace in a divided South Africa.
The world watched while India struggled with the COVID-19 Delta variant that was proving to be the most transmissible COVID-19 variant worldwide. It was only a matter of time before the African continent would have to face up to this more contagious variant too.
It was particularly pleasing for me, on the occasion of the International Year for the Abolition of Child Labour, Forced Labour and Trafficking in Persons, which Africa celebrated on 18 June 2021, to launch a reflection on child labour in Central Africa, particularly in the mining sector, and the influence of COVID-19 on this unfortunate scourge. The problem of child labour in the world, and particularly in Africa, is a major issue that deserves to be addressed with the utmost rigour and urgency.
With new technologies and the evolution of medical science in the twenty first century, the COVID-19 vaccine was developed faster than vaccines for previous pandemics and epidemics. Vaccine nationalism, where some governments signed agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply their own populations with vaccines before they had become available for other countries, has led to the politicization of COVID-19 vaccines.
Amid the climate emergency, access to freshwater is a potential source of tension and conflict between states. One example of tension tied up to a transboundary watercourse is the on-going dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the water resources of the River Nile. A long-standing dispute between the countries has gained tension due to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) by Ethiopia.
As South Sudanese celebrated the tenth anniversary of independence on 9 July, their ambitions to build a nation that they fought for and that many have scarified their lives for, have not yet been realized. Many challenges still undermine the nation building programmes and the people’s aspirations.
On 9 July 2021, South Sudan commemorated its 1o-year anniversary as an independent, sovereign state. The celebrations across the country were quiet. The exuberant scenes of 2011 gave way to pensive stocktaking as South Sudan emerges from a vicious cycle of civil war and a weakened economy brought to the brink by the COVID-19 pandemic. What has remained however is the resilience of the people of South Sudan, and their ability to look toward a future of peace, stability, and development. Their hope rests on the permanent ceasefire which has continued to hold since 2017, and the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in 2018 following the breakdown of the previous peace agreement.
One cannot stabilize the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) without building a trustworthy and effective local and national political leadership, desecuritizing the national political narrative, and depoliticizing national security operations.
IGAD upgraded its presence in various IGAD Member States namely; Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda to full time presence instead of ad hoc engagements or small liaison offices, while Djibouti remains the seat of the Secretariat and the Executive Secretary. The IGAD presence in the Republic of South Sudan started with a liaison office at the sub-national regional government of southern Sudan in 2005 to follow up on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and upgraded to a small Juba Liaison Office after South Sudan’s independence on 9 July 2011.
The 9th of July 2021 marks the first decade of independence of the Republic of South Sudan and the challenges of nation-state building. The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) paved the way for separation of Southern Sudan from the Sudan in 2011 through a referendum for self-determination. Though the parties pledged to make unity of the Sudan attractive, the people did not believe.
Though it is shared by 11 riparian countries, Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia dominate the contesting debate over the Nile water resource. Historically, the Nile basin has been dominated by unilateralism, exclusion, colonial and neo-colonial drives to justify Egypt’s and Sudan’s monopoly over the utilization of the shared water resource.
Africa had time to prepare for the pandemic outbreak after the first wave of COVID-19 in China and Europe. However, Africa is one of the continents most affected by the third wave, with South Africa being particularly affected. Africa is faced with over 5.6 million COVID-19 cases and 146 497 deaths (06 July 2021). South Africa is leading with over 2 million coronavirus cases (06 July 2021)
The spread of COVID-19 throughout Africa has not only generated health emergencies across the continent but has also had devastating impacts on local and national economies, lives and livelihoods. Inevitably, marginalised populations such as migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people (IDPs) have been some of the worst affected, including increased risk for their health, wellbeing and protection.
Almost a year and a half later, the coronavirus pandemic continues to exacerbate pre-existing socio-economic and political challenges in Africa. At the onset of the third wave in June, and where most developed countries responded with vigorous vaccination drives, the fate of African populations and their livelihoods remain uncertain and under severe pressure. This article reflects on the way in which countries are responding to the third wave amidst the rollout of vaccines.
The President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, addressed the nation last Thursday, 24 June, announcing the introduction of tighter measures as part of efforts to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19.
At the Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held in Mozambique on June 23, 2021, the regional body endorsed a decision to deploy a SADC Standby Force mission to the Republic of Mozambique, by October this year.
Speaking at the G7 Summit held on 13 June 2021, South Africa has commended the G7 and other countries for the collective action taken to overcome the current global health crisis and the commitment to create a better, greener and more prosperous world. Ending the pandemic must be our most immediate priority. COVID-19 is not over.