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The cost of coronavirus in Africa: What measures can leaders take?

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By Dorothy Tembo

With the novel coronavirus COVID-19 having reached the African continent, countries are getting ready to manage the spread of the virus and ensure that their fragile health systems can cope. Images from China and Europe give many reasons for concern.
In addition to the health challenges posed by COVID-19, Africa is already feeling the effect on its economies. With industries shutting down in Asia, America and Europe demand for raw materials and commodities is declining, but it is also hampering Africa’s access to industrial components and manufactured goods (including medical equipment).
Initial actions in Africa have focussed on slowing viral contagion with measures, including the closing of borders. These actions come as the continent has been making bold moves to increase economic integration, with African Union officials recently swearing in the first-ever Secretary-General of the newly created Secretariat of the African Free Continental Free Trade Agreement. The coronavirus could represent a risk for the continental project but leaders could also turn it into an opportunity for stronger collaboration. If leaders fast-track specific policies, it may also represent an opportunity if certain policies are fast-tracked. Quick gains could be achieved by consolidating the regional integration initiatives they are already implementing.
The closing of borders, for instance, can send a very different signal depending on how governments do it. Where leaders of neighbouring nations close borders together, as those of Portugal and Spain have done, it is a symbol of partnership in the fight against a pandemic. Reducing flows of people while keeping borders open for goods signals continued faith in the importance of economic activities and trade in providing the goods people need to continue their daily lives. In Africa, such collaboration will be crucial, especially for the continent’s sixteen landlocked countries
The crisis may also provide African leaders with an opportunity to look at regional value chains differently. Reliable regional supply chains characterize North America, Asia and Europe. In Africa, however, integration in international markets mostly entails integration in global, not regional, value chains – with Africa providing the raw products for processing elsewhere around the world.
Opportunities for creating regional value chains exist, notably for making motor vehicles or in aerospace activities in Northern Africa. But designing regional strategies may mean agreeing on which component of the value chain is produced where, and can involve trade-offs that policymakers do not always find it easy to make.
But the exceptional nature of the pandemic could provide fertile ground for regional collaboration by policymakers in the fields of pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, diagnostic testing equipment or protective garments. Such decisions will have to be taken and implemented very rapidly.
African leaders can also act in unison in the fight against the economic consequences of the pandemic. Nobody knows how much the pandemic will affect global GDP, but any impact is sure to be significant. Estimated losses in GDP growth for the world as a whole – but also for Africa as a region – currently hover around between 1.5 and 2 percentage points. Those figures are most likely to be revised to include even greater losses.
The travel industry has been the first to be impacted. Airlines around the world are struggling, and tourism has been hit hard. The blow will not go unnoticed in African countries like Tunisia, Egypt and Kenya – where tourism represents around 14%, 11% and 10% of GDP respectively. For underperforming regional airlines, this could spell disaster.
Shutdowns in China and Europe, notably in the apparel, machinery and footwear subsectors, will significantly hit global supply chains – with consequences for Africa. Traditionally reliable sectors in Africa – like the cut flower industry – could also take a pummelling.
In countries that impose lockdowns, large parts of the services sectors are likely to suffer dire outcomes. The hospitality, sports and recreation sectors, and large parts of retailing, are among those most affected by partial or full lockdowns.
The drastic drop in oil prices – triggered by events independent of the coronavirus pandemic but now reinforced by the negative demand resulting from it – is set to compound these economic shocks. Oil exporters like Nigeria will see their revenues shrink.
Faced with this outlook, African policymakers may want to ask themselves how long businesses in their countries can survive in the absence of or with significantly reduced revenues and what the scale of job losses may be. For many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with fewer assets to ride out the storm, the survival rate may only be counted in weeks. That is why small businesses, more than larger businesses, will tend to go out of business or cripple their capacity to be competitive.
Yet, because MSMEs employ around 70% of the workforce in most countries, shedding workers will only aggravate the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic.
Knowing how small businesses act as a lynchpin connecting the pandemic to a broader economic recession, governments around the world have scrambled to reduce the operational stresses on them. They have introduced policies meant to help MSMEs cope with short-term financial risks and long-term business implications. This will, it is hoped, reduce layoffs, prevent bankruptcy, encourage investment and help economies get back on their feet as soon as possible. These measures include concessional financing; tax reductions and grants; employment incentives; technical assistance; and indirect measures.
Low-interest loans and other concessional financing, aimed at easing short-term liquidity issues, have been among the most popular policy measures announced to date. But the experience of the 1970s oil price shock shows that this can have a limited impact in the supply-shock, low-interest rate environments that exist today. Instead, the most effective way to prevent bankruptcies may be measures aimed at reducing costs for MSMEs – such as tax breaks. Investment in digital trade and investment facilitation must also continue – countries with such facilitating policies will be first off the mark in the post-crisis period.
All of these measures require funding. Countries with fiscal space will find it easier to introduce them than those without it. Unfortunately, global debt levels have continued to increase after the financial crisis over a decade ago. Though the bulk of global debt is held by the industrialized world, its increase has been more important in the developing world over the past decade. Concerted action among leaders may therefore be necessary in order for efforts to support small and medium sized businesses not to have negative repercussions on financial markets.
History shows us that cross-border collaborations often arise during or after significant crises. The First World War prompted the creation of the International Labour Office; the United Nations was formed in the aftermath of the Second World War. The construction of the European Union was also a reaction to that conflagration.
The African Union has already recognized that Africa will be stronger if countries are more integrated and unified with the birth of the African Continental Free Trade Area. A similarly strong commitment to joint action by leaders on the continent would undoubtedly benefit the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its economic consequences for Africa.
These actions should include a recommitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, to multilateralism and a pledge to help those that will be most affected by the economic downturn: small businesses, women, young people and vulnerable communities. The International Trade Centre (ITC) with its mandate to build the competitiveness of small businesses in developing countries, emphasizing women-owned businesses and people at the base of the economic pyramid, stands ready to support these efforts.

Dorothy Tembo is the Acting Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

NEW NORMAL

Dr. Desta Meghoo
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As the world embarks on the “new normal”, the best way to come out of this very difficult period includes being adaptable and following the directives of the government which emphasize staying at home and washing hands. I read a ‘truth in jest’ post on FB paraphrased, “Our grandparents went to war to protect us, all you have to do is wash your hands and stay home, don’t mess it up.” So there you go. But what do the millions of Addis Abebans do to combat the depression, boredom and plethora of emotions that go along with this trying time when we are so accustomed to hugs, kisses, communal eating and all other social norms that are now off limits? Obviously a quick Google search will yield tons of projects to entertain the youngsters, who by now may be climbing the walls. One that caught my attention was bird watching. We are blessed to live in a land with more endemic birds than most other countries, and right here in Addis Abeba, we are surrounded by many species worthy to be watched. This activity can promote appreciation for something we take for granted, while brining us closer to nature. Then there are home gardening projects, story telling, and art projects that can be simple as drawings to help young ones share their feelings. Who knows it may be the start of an art career or atleast love of art for a new generation.
That said and recognizing that the arts may not be a priority at this time, I am so happy to see that several countries are paying attention to the plight of artists and cultural institutions such as South Africa, Germany and the UK. According to Minister of Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, a set aside of R150 Million “… will be utilized to render various forms of support to practitioners during this period. Priority will be given to artists and practitioners, who were already booked by some of the cancelled and postponed events funded by the department, as well as legends of the industry.” While the Arts Council England, “…typically supporting artists, curators, museums, libraries, theaters and other cultural practitioners….has established a relief fund for around $192 million for individuals and organizations during the ongoing global health crisis,” according to Artforum.com. In Germany, well aware of the burden on both artists and cultural institutions, the Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grütters announced, “I will not let them down! We have their concerns in mind and will work to ensure that the special needs of the cultural sector and creative people are taken into account when it comes to support measures and liquidity assistance.”
Now I realize Ethiopia may not have such discretionary budget, but I do hope that this sector of society will be considered, especially our senior artists who have contributed so much to this country. As most artists don’t take part in pension schemes and art sales, like any other business is dried up, a little help would not hurt. More importantly I hope that when we rise out of this dilemma that we will be stronger, more considerate to all sectors in our society and simply more humane in our every day dealings in our homes, schools and work place. Time is promised to no one and what time we do have we should make it count. I close with an appropriate excerpt from Ethiopian poet Lemn Sissay’s Invisible Kisses.
“If there was ever one
Who when you are cold
Will summon warm air
For our hands to hold;
Who would make peace in
pouring pain
Make laughter fall in falling rain.
Then see only my face
In reflection of these tides
Trough the clear water
Beyond the river side.
All I can send is love
In all that this is
A poem and a necklace
Of invisible kisses.”

Dr. Desta Meghoo is a Jamaican born
Creative Consultant, Curator and cultural promoter based in Ethiopia since 2005. She also serves as Liaison to the AU for the Ghana based, Diaspora African Forum.

The different functions of the muscle

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The different functions of the muscle

By Elias Abichacra (Phd)

In the precedent article, I briefly explained that Muscles are the main actors of movement. They produce force by contracting. Muscle, due to its physical properties, is classified as a plastic organ but not an elastic one. Muscle has contradictory properties. At rest a muscle has a certain measurable length. When it enters in action, it contracts and gets shorter than its initial rest length. When tension pulls it apart, it extends and its length increases to a certain limit, surpassing the rest length. This is why it is classified as a plastic organ because it can be deformed in opposite directions. An object with an elastic property can be stretched but it will always return to its initial position and never gets shorter.
Muscles produce force and the force they produce is closely related to the size of the muscle. One square centimeter of a man’s muscle can move 6.7 kilograms, whereas that of a woman can move 6.2 kilograms, representing 92% of a man’s performance! The strongest muscle of the human body is the Masseter located in our jaws. It can develop 450 Kg for 2 seconds only. The largest muscle is the big Gluteus muscle which keeps the body upright continuously when we are standing extending our hips. The fastest muscles are the eye muscles. The most enduring muscle undoubtedly is the cardiac muscle which never takes a rest during the entire lifetime of a person.
Muscles play different roles. Most of the time more than one muscle participates to produce force. The main actor of a movement is called the Agonist muscle. Its role is determined by the surface area it occupies in the muscle lodge which is clearly the largest. In order to alleviate the pressure on a single muscle, Mother Nature most of the time has put other muscles at the same location to support the Agonist muscle. These muscles are called Synergist muscles. If an accident occurs on the Agonist muscle, the Synergist takeover the action by replacing the Agonist muscle. For example the thigh is composed of four muscles. One single muscle called the Rectus Femoris (RF), which is visible at the middle of the thigh muscle, can perform the knee extension alone. In reality, all of the four thigh muscles work in unison to extend the knee. When a work necessitates maximum force, muscles located far from the action area contract simultaneously to support the effort. These muscles are called Cooperative muscles. As a muscle never stays contracted eternally, it must return to its initial rest position and relax. This action is performed by a muscle called Antagonist. This is why Exercise Physiologists say that muscles are ruled by the Twin Antagonist Principle. Where there is flexion there is extension, where there is pushing there is pulling, where there is lifting there is dipping, where there is abduction (separating from the center) there is adduction (bringing back to the center), where there is inversion there is eversion and so on.
When a muscle works, it contracts in different ways. Naturally, a working muscle gets shorter in length and swells. It can also contract paradoxically by increasing its length and not getting deformed/swelled. It can equally contract without producing movement. The 1st type of work is called the natural contraction where the angle of the joint shortens and closes gradually. Flexing your elbow is the major work of your Biceps. As the effort is produced, the angle that is reduced and closes shows that the Agonist muscle responsible for flexing that joint is active. If you wish to lower the weight you lifted, you can do it by extending your elbow gradually or immediately; done gradually, it is the muscle that produced the flexion that is lowering the arm slowly and is called the anti-natural movement or negative work. This is the only moment an Agonist muscle can work in the opposite direction Nature had initially programmed it for. Whereas if the extension is rapid or brutal, it is the Antagonist muscle (Triceps) that is working to bring the arm to the rest position. Here, to extend the flexed elbow, the Antagonist muscle needs the passive cooperation of the Agonist muscle which must relax immediately to bring the joint at its natural position. You can also chose any joint and close the angle at a certain degree and hold it for a certain time. Here the muscle doesn’t get shorter or longer because it is fixed at a certain position/angle. Contrary to Physics that determines work by movement, Exercise Physiology characterizes work by the speed of appearance of fatigue which can be immediate, rapid or late closely influenced by the intensity of the effort. The physiological ping-pong game, played between Agonist and Antagonist muscles that contract and relax simultaneously, help movements to be repeated as long as the muscles have enough stocked energy to use. They are the motors that create action.
Depending on the role played by each muscle, a clear difference of force production exists between Agonist and Antagonist muscles. This is called the Agonist/Antagonist force ratio. In the life of an ordinary person, it is not so important to pay attention to this ratio. But when a person practices sport at a high level, it is mandatory to control permanently this difference. Sports develop strength by exaggerating the role of the Agonist muscles, thus creating an imbalance between the two protagonists. I am sure that the readers of Capital have observed sprinters and football players end a competition limping and holding their hamstring muscles. The overuse of the thigh muscles/quadriceps and forgetting to equally develop the muscles located at the opposite side/hamstrings aggravates the imbalance and finishes one day to provoke muscle strain and even muscle tear. You must understand that when an Agonist muscles contracts the Antagonist muscle must instantly relax and if this happens with some microseconds difference, then muscle injury appears.
Remember Health is Wealth

You can contact the writer on this e-mail
address: elias.abichacra@yahoo.com

Book Review: Africa’s Critical Choices: a call for a Pan-African roadmap

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Book Review: Africa’s Critical Choices: a call for a Pan-African roadmap

BY: KINGSLEY IGHOBOR
Book by Ibrahim Assane Mayaki
Many books on Africa’s development often paint a dystopian picture of a continent heading towards a cliff-edge. But in the recently-published Africa’s Critical Choices: A Call for a pan-African Roadmap, Ibrahim Mayaki details the continent’s potentials, proffers solutions to seemingly intractable problems, and compels the reader to believe in the possibility of Africa’s greatness.
Mayaki is the CEO of the implementing arm of the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency, which is currently being transformed to African Union Development Agency (AUDA). Fittingly, the book opens with a preface by Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria and one of those who championed the creation of NEPAD in 2001.
Obasanjo praises Mayaki for sharing “the lessons of a 40-year multifaceted career” with intellectual and moral vigor.
In the book, Mayaki discusses financing, the youth bulge, migration, climate change, good governance, among other issues. A recurring theme is that Africa can and should resolve its challenges. He writes that those who look for solutions to Africa’s problems from other regions of the world “implicitly… weakens the continent’s ability to influence its own destiny and that of the world.”
On climate change, the author canvasses a unified African voice at the negotiation table, in addition to learning lessons from industrialised countries and adopting appropriate mitigation technologies. He advises countries negotiating the exploitation of physical capital (land, for example) and other natural resources to ensure the best legal protections.
Mayaki posits that Africa’s problem is not a lack of financial resources but the absence of appropriate development strategies. He recalls a meeting he attended at the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York at which he discovered that African pension funds were awash with some $1.5 trillion capitalisation.
Mayaki uses data skillfully in the book. He writes, for example, that, “For each dollar of aid to a developing country, there is an illicit outflow of $10,” underscoring that Africa’s development challenges are as much a domestic problem as they are the result of corrupt practices of foreign companies operating on the continent.
The book is steeped in the author’s pan-African beliefs; he even devotes a section to a discussion of: “The path to collective emancipation.” That path, he advocates, is regional integration, which he touts as “our most ambitious political innovation since… the 1950s,” following the wave of decolonisation.
While he is enthused by the African Continental Free Trade Area, which entered into force in May 2019, he urges Africa’s gradual integration into globalization. The reader may see this latter point as a recourse to protectionist policies. However, he states that currently, “Africa trades twice as much with Europe than it does with itself.”
While Mayaki often gives speeches promoting women’s empowerment, the book does not include any substantive discussions of how this can be achieved.
Mayaki has a doctorate in Administrative Sciences, was a former Prime Minister of Niger and a university professor. A leading African intellectual-cum-technocrat would be expected to be wordy, but the 125-page book is breezy and refreshingly digestible.
The book is a wakeup call to Africa to make critical choices, although, surprisingly, the author recommends it essentially for future leaders. Still, current policymakers, development experts, researchers and political leaders will find it fascinating.

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