COVID-19 Africa Watch Interview Series
The COVID-19 Africa Watch Interview Series showcases the voices of African change agents, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, focusing on how the pandemic is affecting African countries and the priorities for the post-pandemic recovery. You can explore all our videos below, as divided into two broad categories:
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways. Check back often for additional updates.
Featured Video
Gwen K. Young, President of Balance Up Leadership, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women and what governments and others can do to develop response plans that promote women’s economic and social wellbeing.
Economic, Market, and Trade Impacts
- Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Strive Masiyiwa, African Union Special Envoy for mobilizing the private sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Oscar N. Onyema, CEO, The Nigeria Stock Exchange
- Okey Umeano, Acting Chief Economist of the Nigeria Securities & Exchange Commission
- Zemedeneh Negatu, Global Chairman of the Fairfax Capital Fund
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways.
Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the future—and renewed importance—of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the role of technology, infrastructure, and governance will play in the recovery from the pandemic, and the global response to the economic crisis.
COVID-19 Africa Watch discusses the launch of the Africa Medical Supplies Platform with Strive Masiyiwa, founder and chairman of Econet Wireless, and African Union Special Envoy for mobilizing the private sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar N. Onyema, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the exchange has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zemedeneh Negatu, Global Chairman of the Fairfax Capital Fund, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the pandemic has changed the investment environment in Africa, and how the continent and Ethiopia, in particular, have responded.
Okey Umeano, CFA. Ag., Acting Chief Economist of the Nigeria Securities & Exchange Commission, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about Nigeria’s economic policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Malado Kaba, former Minister of Economy and Finance, Republic of Guinea
- Nurse Cherish Samuel, Eti-Osa COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre, Lagos State, Nigeria
- Gwen K. Young, President, Balance Up Leadership
- Ethel Mwambazi Kandiwo, Managing Director at BlackDot Media (Zambia)
- Betty Wilkinson, CEO, Financial Sector Deepening Zambia
Follow the links below each video to see interview transcripts and key takeaways.
Malado Kaba, former Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Guinea, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the potential for digital disruption in government and public service in the wake of the current pandemic. The interview is also available in French.
COVID-19 Africa Watch discusses the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria and how people can stay safe with Cherish Samuel, a registered nurse working at a COVID-19 isolation and treatment center in Lagos State.
Gwen K. Young, President of Balance Up Leadership, talks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women and what governments and others can do to develop response plans that promote women’s economic and social wellbeing.
Ethel Mwambazi Kandiwo, Managing Director at BlackDot Media, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about how the pandemic is affecting the media and advertising world in Zambia.
Betty Wilkinson, CEO, Financial Sector Deepening Zambia, speaks to COVID-19 Africa Watch about the economic impacts of the pandemic in Zambia and the way her group and others are responding.
Social, Health, and Governance Impacts