Theme: Livelihood Insecurity & Economic Impact

While COVID-19 is a global challenge, Africa is especially vulnerable to the associated economic disruptions.

COVID-19 may have started as a public health emergency, but at this stage, the measures taken to contain the crisis have developed into an economic crisis, that has more of an impact on people’s livelihoods than the virus itself.

African governments face a challenging dilemma, finding the optimal balance between the need to contain the virus by limiting direct social-contact, protecting the economy and ensuring that people’s basic needs are met. It is becoming clear that the lockdowns most African governments have adopted to contain the virus are having a disproportionate impact on the poor and most vulnerable in our societies.

With a large proportion of people self-employed, the COVID-19 social distancing and self-isolation measures introduced in many African countries are having an immediate negative economic impact on livelihoods and food security.