On Africa and Covid-19: Recovering Stronger – EgyptToday

On Africa and Covid-19: Recovering Stronger – EgyptToday

As the whole world is still grappling with the pandemic, the Coronavirus crisis has hit Africa quite hard, with the economic damage and health costs leaving the continent in need of an estimated $1.2 trillion over the next three years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects.

Accordingly, an urgent and comprehensive strategy has become a necessity to not only mitigate and contain the crisis, but also for Africa to recover better and stronger. 

This month, Business Today Egypt speaks to the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission (AUC) Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid on Covid-19's impact on Africa's economy, and how the pandemic can be seen as an opportunity for the continent to grow stronger.



What did Covid-19 do to Africa?

“The damage in the African continent went beyond the [pandemic],” Abou-Zeid states, adding that the negative impact incurred due to the virus could reach $1.2 trillion.

“The African continent has seen a hiatus in different aspects of life, including tourism and aviation, which are among the largest sources of income for the continent, with the tourism sector making up 10 percent of its income,” Abou-Zeid says,