According to a report by the AU, Africa will lose about 20 million jobs in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A study conducted by the global auditing firm McKinsey “Tackling COVID-19 in Africa,” stated that Africa’s economies could experience a loss of between $90 billion and $200 billion in 2020. The scale of disruption caused by COVID-19, which has been further exacerbated by poor health infrastructure in the continent, has been of grave concern to business, political and diplomatic leaders in the continent and beyond.
In response to the growing concern, and as part of its mandate of evolving solutions to the continent’s challenges, African Leadership Magazine UK organized the 4th annual African Summit with the theme COVID-19: Pathways to Africa’s Economic Recovery and Future Growth.
The
event which held virtually on the 25th June 2020, assembled global leaders,
including Her Excellency Baroness Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth
Secretary-General; His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ambrose Dlamini, Prime Minister of
Eswatini, Her Excellency Jewel Howard-Taylor, Vice President of Liberia, Lord
Dollar Popat, Member UK House of Lords and UK Prime Minister’s Envoy to Rwanda
and Uganda, among others.
Lendingher voice to the discussion, SG Scotland, in her opening remark, stated that,
“as the nations of the Commonwealth and the world more widely work to
rebuild economic and social fabric and infrastructure, the need for
inclusiveness and resilience will be of utmost concern. Inclusiveness and
resilience have long been Commonwealth watchwords. They are also central to the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Continuing,she maintained that, “I believe they are vital considerations as we set
out to map Pathways to Africa’s Economic Recovery and Growth, and as we move
forward from the massive disruption and dislocation caused by
COVID-19.”
On his part, Prime Minister Dlamini averred that “In a nutshell, Eswatini’s
pathway to post COVID-19 recovery is focused on boosting the private sector and
streamlining the fiscal adjustment plan.” He also maintained that, “Early
projections are estimating growth to be around 1.5 per cent with the
implementation of the program.”
“In a way, this pandemic provides us with the opportunity to institute reforms in Government
with the focus firmly on achieving the milestones articulated in the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.
Similarly, Vice President Taylor, maintained that “Countries and governments are
under obligations to ensure that women and girls survive the surge of violence
against them because everyone is in a survival mode since predators are preying
on the vulnerability of women and girls.”
“Countries across Africa are in lockdown mode, and this is having devastating effects on
the continent’s population- a majority of whom have to live below the poverty
line and have to hustle to win bread for themselves. If these people are asked
to stay home, you can imagine what that means for them. The lockdown makes
access to essential social services nonexistent.
VP Howard-Taylor said despite the gloomy global picture; policy makers must showcase Africa as the new frontier,” she said.
Lord Dolar Popat, on his part, called on African leaders to see COVID-19 crisis as
the best opportunity to change its mindset and position the continent as the
next labour market of the future.
In his words, “Africa must redesign itself”.
The publisher and founder of the African Leadership magazine and host of the Africa
Summit 2020, Dr Ken Giami, in his earlier welcome address called on all
stakeholders in the Africa project, including non-African lovers of the
continent, to join hands and build partnerships for Africa’s recovery and
future growth, as the continent navigates the challenges arising from the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Giami noted that ‘the World as we knew it may have changed forever. Therefore,
as we adjust to the unfolding new normal, I call on all stakeholders of the
Africa project to do the hard work and the smart work required, so we can build
a resilient and sustainable pathway to Africa’s future’.
A panel discussion on the theme also presented an opportunity for experts to share
their views of Post COVID-19 recovery pathways for the continent. Panelists
were drawn from politics, diplomacy, business and academia. The discussants
include Sen. Manqoba Khumalo, Minister of Commerce & Trade, Kingdom of
Eswatini; Hon. Hamat Bah, Minister of Culture & Tourism, The Gambia; Dr
Christian Lindfeld, Managing Partner, Africa Advisors GmbH; Dr Victor
Oladdokun, Former Director of Communications, African Development Bank; Senyo
Hosi, Chairman Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Saul Frazer, CEO Global
Properties, Gambia; and Professor Samuel Edoumiekumo, among others.
Highlights of the event included the unveiling of the top 100 COVID-19 Champions; the
launch of the African Business Council; and the presentation of an award to
selected leaders for their exemplary leadership.
The annual Africa Summit traditionally holds in London UK, but, held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 disruption. The event It is part of African Leadership magazine’s response to the debate on resetting Africa’s development priorities post-COVID-19.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of African Leadership Magazine.
About African Leadership Magazine:
The African Leadership magazine is published by African Leadership (UK) Limited, a company registered in the United Kingdom. The magazine focuses on bringing the best of Africa to a global audience, telling the African story from an African perspective; while evolving solutions to peculiar challenges being faced by the continent today.
Since its maiden edition, African Leadership Magazine has grown to become a leading
Pan-African flagship leadership-focused publication read by over 1, 000, 000
targeted international investors, business executives, government policymakers,
and multilateral agencies across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Europe, and
the US. It is distributed at major international and African Leadership events
around the world. The magazine has over 900,000 subscribers/Followers on
Facebook and a virile readership on other social media platforms. It is a niche
and unbiased African voice born out of a desire to ameliorate a lot of Africans
by focusing on individuals and corporates that are known for their legacy-based
approach to leadership.
Enquiries
Kingsley Okeke
Managing Editor, African Leadership magazine
+44 23 9265 8276
kingsley@africanleadership.co.uk
