What will it cost to end the pandemic?
“A new paper argues that it’s possible to end the ‘acute phase’ of the pandemic early next year by vaccinating 60% of the population of every country.”
There have been 7 million to 13 million excess deaths worldwide during the pandemic
Analysis and Opinion The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“The estimated death rate for Sub-Saharan Africa is 14 times the official number.”
Remote working is a lifeline for Kenya’s beach resorts
Analysis and Opinion Kenya The Economist Article/Blog post by Milken Institute staff“With airports shut and many travelers in the rich world locked in their homes, the number of foreign tourists visiting Kenya slumped by almost three-quarters.”
The pandemic could undercut Africa’s precarious progress
Analysis and Opinion The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“Even if vaccines come soon, African treasuries will still need help to avoid drawn-out debt crises and growth-choking cuts to spending.”
The COVID-19 crisis is boosting mobile money
Analysis and Opinion Kenya / Nigeria / Rwanda The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“In Rwanda the number of mobile-money transfers doubled in the week after a lockdown was imposed in March, according to data collected by the telecommunications regulator and analysed by Cenfri, a South African think-tank. By late April users were making 3m transactions a week, five times the pre-pandemic norm.”
Why COVID-19 seems to spread more slowly in Africa
Analysis and Opinion The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“Elsewhere a lack of testing makes it harder to assess the true course of the disease. But what data there are, and new analysis by the World Health Organisation (who), suggest the virus is spreading more slowly in Africa than elsewhere—and that its path will vary across the continent.”
Has COVID-19 killed globalisation?
Analysis and Opinion The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“As economies reopen, activity will recover, but don’t expect a quick return to a carefree world of unfettered movement and free trade. The pandemic will politicise travel and migration and entrench a bias towards self-reliance. This inward-looking lurch will enfeeble the recovery, leave the economy vulnerable and spread geopolitical instability.”
Lacking data, many African governments make policy in the dark
Latest Developments Niger / Nigeria / Somalia / Tanzania The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“It is often difficult to assess the information that is collected. Patient records in health clinics, for example, are almost always written by hand, and then often gather dust in a corner. Moreover, when governments do publish data online they frequently use formats that make the numbers hard to collate and analyse.”
Which emerging markets are in most financial peril?
Analysis and Opinion Angola / Gabon / South Africa / Zambia The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“As the pandemic wreaks havoc on economies and public finances, the natural question is: who’s next? More than 100 countries, including South Africa, have asked the imf for help.”
Zambia was already a case study in how not to run an economy
Analysis and Opinion Zambia The Economist Article/Blog post by John Schellhase“Zambia is arguably the developing country facing the biggest debt crisis in the era of COVID-19. Nearly half of its tax revenues go towards debt service; add the public wage bill and there is little left. In 2019 its budget deficit was 10.9% of GDP.”
A hub for information, analysis, and the global response to COVID-19’s impact on Africa