5. Africa, Virus and Vulnerability: COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa

Since the first African coronavirus (COVID-19) case was confirmed on 14 February 2020 in Egypt, the virus has spread across the continent. Given its pre-existing fragility such as high debt burden, dependence on primary commodity export, a decrepit health infrastructure, pervasive poverty and poor governance, some observers contended that Africa will experience an apocalypse as a result of the virus outbreak. To mitigate explosive outbreaks, most African states imposed strict measures such as frontier closures, lockdowns and social distancing, which has helped to suppress the spread. Although the continent’s infection rates are still lagging behind East Asia, Europe and America, the pandemic has caused serious effects on the health, economic, political and social stability of many African states. This chapter, therefore, critically examines the diverse perspectives and theories on the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, highlighting the impact, responses and lessons learned by African states in their effort to preserve security and stability. It contends that the pandemic effects will further exacerbate the fragility of African states in the post-COVID era.