Africa's battle with COVID-19

Before the pandemic, Africa was experiencing unprecedented
economic growth and poverty reduction. While many economies have
faced disruption around the globe, emerging economies face an
even tougher challenge because they lack the tools at the
disposal of developed countries, whether that be vaccines,
macroeconomic liquidity or the ability of the labour market to
work from home. 



The global nature of the pandemic requires a global response.
This January, Bruegel Director Guntram Wolff and Vera Songwe,
Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa were
appointed by the Italian G20 Presidency to the High Level
Independent Panel on financing the global commons for pandemic
preparedness and response, tasked with identifying gaps in the
financing system for the global commons for pandemic prevention,
surveillance, preparedness and response; and proposing actionable
solutions to meet these gaps on a systematic and sustainable
basis.



In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Vera shares her
insight on how Africa has been handling the spread of COVID-19
and its economic implications. Together they discuss how to
ensure necessary financing available to all, that can ensure that
the world is better prepared for the next pandemic.