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<p>Ethiopia continues to suffer unrest after the killing of a popular musician on Monday sparked protests that have claimed over 80 lives. Political and Economic Analyst, Mikael Arage joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Ethiopia deploys military as Hachalu Hundessa protests turn deadly

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        Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speaking during a press conference on general elections in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
        <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Minasse Wondimu Hailu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</span></span>
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<span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yohannes-gedamu-432503">Yohannes Gedamu</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/georgia-gwinnett-college-2416">Georgia Gwinnett College</a></em></span>

<p>It’s two years since a surprise leadership change took place in Ethiopia. Introducing himself with a <a href="https://borkena.com/2018/04/02/ten-points-abiy-ahmed-made-in-his-speech/">historic speech</a> to the nation, the new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed preached democracy as the only future for the country of more than 110 million.</p>

<p>The initial reforms were breathtaking. So much so that imagining democracy became justifiable. But Abiy’s administration inherited an extraordinary set of problems. </p>

<p>Apart from the challenge of democratising an authoritarian state, it had to deal with ethnic violence and conflicts. And massive internal displacement of citizens.</p>

<p>Two years later, the government seems to have controlled the issue of internally displaced people. Resettlement programs appear to have been mostly successful. </p>

<p>And there’s been considerable progress in ensuring peace and stability. News of violence is now mostly confined to two areas where the Oromo Liberation Army operates.</p>

<p>Beyond domestic politics, the volatile Horn of Africa also posed major challenges to Abiy’s leadership. But Ethiopia’s former arch-rival, Eritrea, is no longer a regional adversary. </p>

<p>In addition, Abiy played a major role in the Sudanese transition from chaos to some political promise. And the fact that he changed the loud silence between Somaliland and Somalia into potentially history-making meetings also deserves recognition.</p>

<p>But, looking back over this period, Abiy’s major achievement could be viewed as the dismantling of the 28-year-old Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front and the birth of a nationally unified political organisation, the Prosperity Party. This is not without its challenges too, however. </p>

<p>These developments have reinvigorated opposition groups afresh. In particular, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, a regional political organisation that had  major dominance over the old revolutionary front, has now emerged as a major political foe to Abiy’s Prosperity Party.</p>

<p>This poses a menace to Ethiopia’s path to reform. As a result, Ethiopia’s road to democracy and national elections, which were due to be held in August, is now facing two challenges: a global pandemic, and deteriorating relations between the Tigray regional state and the Prosperity Party, which is in charge of the federal government, and the remaining eight regions and two city administrations.</p>

<h2>National elections</h2>

<p>In its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Ethiopia has so far done a promising job. But cases continue to grow – slowly but alarmingly. </p>

<p>Abiy cited the pandemic as a reason to postpone the national elections. The current administration’s five-year tenure was set to expire come September 30, 2020. Debates on the legitimacy of the government after that date have dominated national discussions.</p>

<p>The government proposed a number of options. One was to dissolve parliament and declare a state of emergency. Another was to request a special constitutional interpretation of the challenge. Yet another was to extend the tenure of current incumbents. </p>

<p>The opposition was consulted and the issues were discussed in parliament. The decision that was finally taken was to ask for a judicial review process to provide a constitutional interpretation. These are done through the Council of Constitutional Inquiry, which then submits its recommendations to the House of the Federation for discussions and a decision.</p>

<p>The House of the Federation is the upper house of Ethiopia’s bicameral legislative branch. Its legislative authority is limited to powers on budgetary allocations, powers to interpret the constitution, and to safeguard the federal constitutional framework. </p>

<p>Based on House’s decision, the chamber postponed the national election. </p>

<p>The decision was not received well by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. The regional parliament in Tigray has since defied the federal government’s decision, and announced it will hold its own elections. </p>

<h2>High stakes</h2>

<p>This decision has wide-ranging implications. By holding an election without the supervision of the National Electoral Board, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front is undermining Ethiopia’s federal constitutional system.</p>

<p>Going it alone is a reflection of the front’s loss of power since the demise of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition. This has weakened its resolve to maintain Ethiopia’s constitutional system.</p>

<p>The decision poses a threat to Ethiopia’s promising democracy. It has ignited an unprecedented level of tension between the Tigray region and the federal government. If this situation deteriorates further, the country’s fledgling democracy could regress. </p>

<p>So far, Abiy’s administration has ignored the threat from the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front. This could lead to undesirable repercussions. </p>

<p>The federal government’s reluctance to address the crisis in Tigray might lead to renewed violence. This could in turn harm government’s response to the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>

<p>Finally, unless addressed, the deteriorating relations between the federal government and the Tigray region could further unravel Ethiopia’s dangerously designed federal system that in any case, is in need of major revision.</p>

<p>For democracy to take root in Ethiopia, the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front’s defiance to the country’s constitutional order must resolved.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140750/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" /></p>

<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yohannes-gedamu-432503">Yohannes Gedamu</a>, Lecturer of Political Science, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/georgia-gwinnett-college-2416">Georgia Gwinnett College</a></em></span></p>

<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/abiy-put-ethiopia-on-the-road-to-democracy-but-major-obstacles-still-stand-in-the-way-140750">original article</a>.</p>

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Abiy Ahmed put Ethiopia on the road to democracy: but he still has a lot to do, here’s why

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<p>With countries having to cut down on spending as economies shrink, the choices made during this pandemic will be largely responsible for the recovery of their economies, so how do we choose between investment for today and tomorrow? CNBC Africa spoke to the State Minister of Finance of Ethiopia, Dr. Eyob Tekalign for more.</p>


COVID-19: Finmin Tekalign on finding the balance between investment for today & tomorrow

COVID-19: Ethiopia’s State Minister Tekalign on finding the balance between investment for today & tomorrow


<p>By Jee-A Van Der Linde – Economist</p>



<p>Finance ministers of East Africa are expected to table their respective budgets in coming days for the new financial year that begins on July 1. The reading of East African budgets is normally a joint exercise.</p>



<p>The new budgets come at a pivotal time, as the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic has placed pressure on government finances in 2020.</p>



<p>Authorities have little choice but to provide fiscal support where they can. However, there will be challenges and the governments will need to closely monitor developments to avoid the budget deficits from spiralling out of control.</p>



<p>Government finances will take a hit across the region. We believe that this will for the most part be driven by the collapse in fiscal revenue due to the marked deterioration in the economic outlook.</p>



<p>The region’s largest economy, Kenya, has provided fiscal support through tax relief, which will further weigh on the revenue side.</p>



<p>In general, on the expenditure side we expect to see a lot of reprioritisation away from sectors that have seen activity halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This could include a reduction in direct spending in the tourism sector and construction.</p>



<p>These resources will likely be redirected towards containment efforts – particularly health care – and social support.</p>



<p>Regardless, East African fiscal finances will look a lot worse during the next fiscal year than what was expected a few months ago. Fiscal deficits will be wider than previously anticipated and public debt will increase at a faster rate.</p>



<p>We have seen multilaterals stepping up support, which could reduce the longer-term fiscal impact of the Covid-19 crisis, but commitments to date will undoubtedly have to be supplemented to ensure that the Covid-19 pandemic does not have a long-term fiscal legacy.</p>



<p>Furthermore, most East African nations have been able to assess the impact of the virus and incorporate this new reality into their budgets.</p>



<p>This is a lot more efficient than having to adjust a budget midway through a fiscal year.</p>



<p>Rwanda, the region’s fastest-growing economy in 2019, is to delay publishing its budget for the new financial year. The break from tradition comes down to the Rwandan Cabinet not yet having approved the finance minister’s budget proposal.</p>



<p>The government expects to spend RWfr3.245trn during the fiscal year 2020/21 – RWfr228.7bn more than the revised budget estimates.</p>



<p>Although we do not expect government to curb non-essential expenditure during this time, stimulus measures to fight against the fallout of the virus are unavoidable.</p>



<p>Rwanda’s fiscal deficit is expected to widen this year, in step with its regional peers. Moreover, public debt levels have risen over the years and 2020 will be no exception.</p>



<p>Given the extraordinary circumstances, forecast adjustments are likely.</p>



<p>Room to deploy fiscal policy to combat Covid-19 is limited.</p>



<p>It seems investors globally have made peace with the fact that many countries will have to increase borrowing to combat the pandemic, and if containment efforts show positive results, these countries should not struggle to find capital to fund the recovery.</p>



<p>The East African region is fighting an economic battle on two fronts.</p>



<p>Covid-19 is disrupting supply chains, curtailing economic activity at large and devastating regional tourism.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, the unprecedented locust infestation is wreaking havoc in the region’s agricultural sector – an industry generally spared from the Covid-19-induced economic slump.</p>



<p>The World Bank announced the commencement of an emergency programme to help countries in Africa fight the ongoing locust infestation.</p>



<p>The Bank noted that the first East African countries to be financed under the initial phase of the programme are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, with a total financing package of $160m.</p>



<p>Despite this support, the unprecedent nature of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the locust infestation will derail the region’s economic growth trajectory.</p>



<p>We expect Africa’s fastest-growing region to record a 1.8% GDP contraction this year.</p>



<p>For more coverage on COVID-19 visit: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/">https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/</a></p>


Op Ed: East African finance ministers to present budgets for new fiscal year


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KEY POINTS</h3>



<ul><li>Economic activity collapsed in Sub-Saharan Africa in the first half of the year.</li><li>Nigeria&#8217;s economy expected to shrink by 3.2% this year.</li><li>South Africa’s output is forecast to contract 7.1% this year, the deepest contraction in a century.</li><li><a>Angola, DRC &amp; Ghana are having to cope with weaker external demand &amp; lower prices for oil &nbsp;&amp; metals</a>.</li><li>Agricultural commodity exporters, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia &amp; Kenya, have suffered from a collapse in demand.</li><li><a>Economic activity in Sub-Saharan Africa on course to contract by 2.8% in 2020, the deepest on record</a>. Growth could resume to 3.1% in 2021</li><li>COVID-19 pandemic likely to push millions in the region back into extreme poverty.</li></ul>



<p></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Recent developments:</em></strong><em> </em></h2>



<p>Sub-Saharan Africa has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic activity collapsed in the first half of this year. The pandemic has taken a heavy human and economic toll, causing the most serious disruption to region-wide economic activity on record. Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered as a result of the impact of the pandemic on its key trading partners, the disruption to global travel and supply chains, and the collapse in global commodity prices, particularly for oil and industrial metals. These shocks have heightened risk aversion among investors and prompted unprecedented capital outflows.</p>



<p>In Nigeria and South Africa, activity has fallen precipitously in the first half of the year. <a>Several industrial commodity exporters, such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ghana, have had to cope with weaker external demand and lower prices for oil and metals</a>, in addition to domestic disruptions. Agricultural commodity exporters, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Kenya, have suffered from a collapse in demand as well as disruptions to supply chains. The fall in global travel as a result of the pandemic has hit hard on countries with substantial exposure to travel and tourism, such as Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Seychelles.</p>



<p>Inflation has crept up in the region, reflecting currency depreciations and supply chain upheaval. While many countries have announced fiscal support measures, in many instances these involve reprioritizing existing budgets given fiscal constraints. International institutions have called on bilateral creditors to suspend some debt payments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Outlook:</em></strong> </h2>



<p class="has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color"><a>Economic activity in the region is on course to contract by 2.8% in 2020, the deepest on record. Per capita GDP is anticipated to fall even more sharply, likely pushing millions in the region back into extreme poverty. </a>Growth could resume to 3.1% in 2021 assuming the pandemic fades in the second half of the year, that domestic outbreaks of the virus follow a similar path, and that growth in major trading partners rebounds. Sub-Saharan Africa faces daunting hurdles to contain COVID-19 given weak health care capacity, lack of access to basic sanitation, and the prevalence of informal economic activity across much of the region.</p>



<p class="has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color"><a>The economy of Nigeria is expected to shrink by 3.2% this year, given the collapse in oil prices, which represent 80% of the country’s exports, about a third of banking sector credit, and half of government revenues. South Africa’s output is forecast to contract 7.1% this year, the deepest contraction in a century, as stringent but necessary containment measures curtail economic activity.</a></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-very-dark-gray-color"><a>Economic activity among commodity importing economies is anticipated to shrink this year despite lower oil prices, as international travel restrictions weigh on tourist visits. Industrial commodity exporters’ GDP is similarly anticipated to contract in 2020 as domestic disruptions are compounded by low prices for oil and metals. Agricultural commodity exporters are also expected to experience a collapse in economic activity this year despite being somewhat insulated from commodity price declines, as foreign direct investment and tighter financial conditions delay investment.</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Risks: </em></strong></h2>



<p>Risks are tilted firmly to the downside. A longer lasting and more severe pandemic would trigger an even deeper recession in the region and have devastating effects on the health and well-being of the region’s population. The effects of the pandemic are expected to markedly increase the region’s vulnerability to debt distress, and these strains will be compounded by the increased borrowing necessary to fund larger deficits. Severely constrained government resources could lead to a curtailment of critical public services during the pandemic and further weigh on activity.</p>



<p>There are also growing concerns that the pandemic may cause a food security crisis in the region as border closures and trade restrictions disrupt trading in food and agricultural products. The region’s large numbers of displaced people could complicate efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, there is the risk of social unrest as governments prioritize efforts to thwart the virus and peacekeeping efforts lose momentum. Rising unemployment, falling incomes, and potential shortages of essential items could lead to instability and weigh on activity well after the pandemic has faded.</p>



<p><a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/33748/9781464815539.pdf">Download <em>Global Economic Prospects</em></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>World Bank Group COVID-19 Response</strong></h2>



<p>“The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank Group</a>, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/news/coronavirus-covid19">broad, fast action</a>&nbsp;to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response. We are supporting public health interventions, working to ensure the flow of critical supplies and equipment, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. We will be deploying up to $160 billion in financial support over 15 months to help more than 100 countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.&nbsp; This includes $50 billion of new IDA resources through grants and highly concessional loans.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="424" height="812" src=""></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p><a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects">Download this data</a></p>


International travel for South Africans is now allowed, this is how it will work

This is how badly COVID-19 has ravaged Sub-Saharan Africa

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<p>Last week Sudan sent a letter to the UN Security Council asking them to discourage Ethiopia from filling their Renaissance Dam reservoir before coming to an agreement with the country and Egypt. This letter comes after the back and forth between Ethiopia and Egypt on the way forward for this almost $5 billion project. So how much are these disagreements costing? And what could the bill rack up to if it’s not sorted out soon? CNBC Africa spoke to Political Economic Analyst, Mikael Arage for more.</p>


Assessing the economic & political impact of Ethiopia’s GERD dam

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<p>Egypt recently sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council protesting Ethiopia’s plan to start filling the reservoir of the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Analyst Mikael Arage spoke to CNBC Africa on this and the situation on COVID-19.</p>


Egypt lodges complaint with the UN over Ethiopia’s Nile dam

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<p>Dawit Mekonnen, a research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute joined CNBC Africa to discuss the synergies between rural electrification and agricultural productivity, processing, and businesses in Ethiopia.</p>


How rural electrification is transforming Ethiopia’s agriculture sector

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<p>A number of small businesses in Ethiopia are protesting the way Facebook is handling their business pages with some being pulled down from the social media site.</p>


Outcry as small businesses in Ethiopia have their pages pulled down by Facebook

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<p>As part of the state of emergency measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19, Ethiopia has prohibited companies from laying off workers and terminating employment. Technology and Politico-Economical Analyst, Mikael Arage spoke to CNBC Africa for more.</p>


COVID-19: Ethiopia prohibits layoffs during state of emergency

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<p>Ethiopia has shut the door for foreign mobile phone companies like Safaricom, which had hoped to introduce its popular M-Pesa mobile money transfer platform in the market of 100 million people. According to the central bank, only allow locally-owned non-financial institutions would be allowed to offer mobile money services as it seeks to boost non-cash payments. Writer and Analyst Samuel Getachew joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Ethiopia closes door on M-Pesa

Ethiopia closes door on M-Pesa, only local companies allowed


<p>By Irmgard Erasmus – Senior Financial Economist</p>



<p>Acutely aware of Ethiopia’s vulnerability to the health and
economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
urged “collective leadership and coordinated responses” to overcome the
challenges posed by the unprecedented shock. </p>



<p>The Ethiopian leader has taken a dominant position in the campaign
for comprehensive stimulus packages and debt relief for the African continent,
stressing that “we are not prepared to overcome the virus on our health systems
and the long-term impact on our economies”. </p>



<p>Echoing this concern, a consortium of African ministers of finance
emphasised in a communique dated April 1 that “urgent need” exists “for fiscal
stimulus to contain the crisis”.</p>



<p>On April 1, G20 leaders indicated that they are preparing a
response package for Africa that will include debt relief and financial aid.
The response package will incorporate “recent demands from President Cyril
Ramaphosa of South Africa and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia”, according
to Politico. </p>



<p>This also came after the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa (UNECA) again requested the “urgent and immediate release” of a $100bn
support package to aid domestic response actions in the fight against the
health and economic implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. </p>



<p>While the ministers welcomed the IMF and World Bank’s call for
official bilateral creditors to “provide breathing space” to African countries,
the consortium believes that “such relief should be extended to countries
across the region and by other creditors during this exceptional period”. </p>



<p>A comprehensive $100bn support package for Africa will be
formalised for discussion and presentation at the World Bank and IMF’s
stakeholders’ initiatives on April 15.</p>



<p>For the public sector, disbursements will be utilised for the
servicing of public sector debt and interest payments, including on sovereign
bonds, in order to create “immediate fiscal space and liquidity” for
governments to focus their attention on domestic fiscal stimulus needs amid the
crisis. </p>



<p>The consortium proposes that the $44bn disbursement be pooled into
a global special purpose vehicle (SPV) to be used for external debt service
“for effective management purposes till economic recovery takes hold and
agreement can be reached with creditors”. The ministers stressed that this
measure would guard against default by countries. </p>



<p>The ministers requested the IMF to raise Special Drawing Rights
(SDRs) availability over the next two to three years. The consortium believes
that it would service the debt relief SPV facility and provide crucial
liquidity support.</p>



<p>Ethiopia has already rescheduled debt servicing agreements with
“some major creditors”, which will alleviate hard currency liquidity demands.
By September 2019, public external debt stock stood at $26.8bn, or half of
total outstanding public debt. </p>



<p>Public external debt comprised a 60:40 split between central
government and state-owned enterprises, according to official records. </p>



<p>Public external debt servicing costs amounted to $548.4m during Q1
FY 2019/20 (the fiscal year commences on July 8), of which $457.2m was due to
SOE debt servicing. </p>



<p>Ethiopia has been among the most vocal of African nations to
request debt waivers or debt relief – while African finance ministers called
for a $100bn stimulus package, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged G20 members to
provide $150bn under a proposed three-point action plan. The disbursal should
take the form of supplementary budgetary support, debt relief, and private
sector financing, according to the proposal. </p>



<p>The prime minister furthermore urged G20 nations to support the
World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) in strengthening public health delivery and emergency
preparedness.</p>



<p>Cognisant of the fragility of the private sector, especially as
small- and medium-sized enterprises account for over 70% of the private sector
in Africa, the consortium stressed that liquidity relief should be extended in
particular to service and tourism sectors. </p>



<p>African finance ministers requested support from the G20, EU, and
all Development Finance institutions to support a proposal aimed at the
refinancing, rescheduling, and implementation of guarantee schemes and
liquidity facilities for the private sector. </p>



<p>In particular, African airline companies require preservation and
protection “given their significant contribution to the GDP of Africa”.
Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to 80 destinations in light of the
pandemic. </p>



<p>Demand for local flights, which are ongoing, dropped by at least
50% already. The airline estimates that it will lose at least $190m due to the
pandemic. </p>



<p>The Ethiopian government has ordered the central bank to release
Etb15bn ($460m) to private banks as it ramped up its fight against the economic
spillover effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The liquidity injection will enable
the banking sector to extend debt relief and additional loan facilities to
customers. </p>



<p>This came in addition to instructions to avail foreign currency to
importers, with priority given to importers of essential goods or the
manufacturing of essential goods. </p>



<p>In March, the World Bank granted a $500m grant and loan facility
(split evenly) to Ethiopia in support of its reform programme. </p>



<p>The prime minister voiced his gratitude to “the generosity of the
Ethiopian people” as local stakeholders contributed generously to the National
Resource Mobilisation Committee initiative.</p>



<p>NKC African Economics’ preliminary GDP forecast suggests that
Ethiopia will be hit particularly hard by coronavirus-related disruptions. </p>



<p>Absent comprehensive external support, a sharp slump in private
sector demand and investment momentum threatens an unprecedented plunge in
economic growth this year to 1.1% – down from a pre-virus forecast of 7.1%. </p>



<p>Crucially, the pandemic threatens to disrupt progress made under
the reform agenda towards policy overhaul, broad-based privatisation of state
assets, financial liberalisation, and the launch of a domestic bourse. </p>



<p>An uncomfortable reliance on grant relief amid strained domestic
fiscal capacity threatens to bloom into full-blown crisis in the absence of
comprehensive external financial support.</p>


Lion_of_Judah,_Addis_Ababa,_Ethiopia

Op-Ed: Ethiopia – Abiy leads African appeal for relief actions

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<p>Ethiopia has been coordinating the distribution of Jack Ma`s gift of essential supplies across the continent. The country is also looking to tap into the capability of traditional medicines to tackle COVID-19. Mikael Arage, Technology and Politico-economical Analyst joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Ethiopia using traditional medicine to fight COVID-19


<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) &#8211; The World Bank’s executive board is expected to consider later this week the first fast-track funds to help Afghanistan and Ethiopia respond to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bank’s president said on Sunday.</p>



<p>In a blog posted on LinkedIn on Sunday, David Malpass said funding for the projects could come out of a $14 billion Fast Track Facility (FTF) approved last week to help countries deal with the health and economic impact of the coronavirus. </p>



<p>The respiratory disease has infected more than 305,000 people around the world, and killed more than 13,000, according to the latest Reuters tally. </p>



<p>In the blog, Malpass said World Bank teams were preparing projects in 40 countries for up to $1.7 billion under the FTF.  </p>



<p>Projects in Afghanistan and Ethiopia were the most advanced and would be presented to the board this week, he said, teeing them up for formal approval. Work was also advancing on projects in 14 other countries, he said, without naming them. </p>



<p>These projects could then be quickly replicated in other parts of the same country, through funding from other multilateral development banks, or in other countries. </p>



<p>In addition, the Bank and the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the Bank, were working to free up $1.5 billion in COVID-19 funding in 24 countries by restructuring existing projects, he said, without naming them. </p>



<p>The IFC was also working to start extending trade finance and working capital lines to clients, with regular board action expected on those efforts in the next two to four weeks.</p>



<p>Malpass said Bank officials were in close touch with finance ministers and central bankers from around the world to discuss their needs and responses to the crisis.  </p>



<p>Bank officials had also identified ways to support countries as they race to procure much-needed medical equipment and upgrade medical facilities. </p>



<p>(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Peter Cooney)</p>



<p>This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKBN21A0O6-OZABS">https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKBN21A0O6-OZABS</a> and is republished with its permission.</p>


World Bank moving forward on first $1.7 bln in pandemic aid projects


<p>(Reuters) &#8211; The World Health Organization has warned of the risk that COVID-19 could overwhelm strained public health systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Here is a selection of measures countries are taking to prepare for the virus and limit its spread.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SOUTH AFRICA </h3>



<p>With more cases than any other country in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa is barring entry to foreign travellers&nbsp;coming from or transiting through&nbsp;high-risk countries including Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom and China, according to an advisory issue by the foreign ministry on Tuesday. </p>



<p>Travellers who arrived from these countries since mid-February must report for testing. Those arriving from medium-risk countries – Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore – will undergo high intensity screening. </p>



<p>South Africans are advised to cancel or postpone all non-essential foreign travel.&nbsp;The government has also ordered schools to close early for the Easter break and will prohibit gatherings of more than 100 people. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">NIGERIA </h3>



<p>Africa’s most populous nation has stepped up surveillance and is preparing for the possibility of an influx of patients.  </p>



<p>Lagos, the biggest city with some 20 million people, could handle 2,000 cases, said Bamidele Mutiu, who heads a regional biosafety team. To do this, they would need to use two camps previously housing people displaced by violence, he said. </p>



<p>Authorities are checking the temperature of anyone who arrives at Nigeria’s airports, ports and land borders. </p>



<p>Those coming from high-risk countries such as China, Iran, Italy and Spain are asked to self-isolate for 14 days, said Tarik Mohammed, a technical advisor at the Niger Centre for Disease Control. If they develop symptoms, a laboratory team will visit them and collect a sample for testing. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KENYA </h3>



<p>The East African country is suspending travel from any nation with reported COVID-19 cases.  </p>



<p>Only Kenyan citizens, foreigners with residence permits and United Nations workers will be allowed to come in, provided they proceed on self-quarantine, the government said this week. </p>



<p>Schools and universities are closing, and public minibuses are providing hand sanitizer. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ETHIOPIA </h3>



<p>Ethiopian Airlines said on its website that medics stationed at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, a key regional transit hub, carry out continuous health screenings 24/7. </p>



<p>The government in the Horn of Africa country has closed schools nationwide and offered to transport people on government buses to ease congestion on public transport. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">RWANDA </h3>



<p>The East African country is flooding its capital, Kigali, with portable sinks for hand-washing at bus stops, restaurants, banks and shops. Schools, universities, churches and courts are closed nationwide. Some flights are suspended. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CAMEROON </h3>



<p>From Wednesday, Cameroon, in central Africa, will close land, air and sea borders indefinitely, the government said in statement on Tuesday. International flights will be grounded, with the exception of cargo planes. Schools and restaurants will shut, and gatherings of more than 50 people are banned. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">LIBERIA </h3>



<p>The West African country is applying lessons learned fighting a devastating Ebola outbreak in 2014-15.  </p>



<p>“We were one of the first countries to start enhanced screening at the airport on Jan. 25,” said&nbsp;Mosoka P. Fallah, acting director general of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia. </p>



<p>More than 200 people have been trained as field epidemiologists and check for diseases in all 90 districts, said Tolbert Nyenswah, senior research associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States and former incident manager for Liberia’s Ebola response. </p>



<p>“If there is a case of a suspected disease, a sample is sent to a lab and tested.” </p>



<p>There are hand-washing stations at public places including stores, shops, schools, hospitals, restaurant and government offices. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SENEGAL </h3>



<p>Has been taking all passengers’ temperatures since Jan. 28 and asks for contact details, so officials can reach them if someone else on the plane tests positive, a spokesman for Dakar airport said. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GHANA </h3>



<p>Has implemented some of the most stringent measures in West Africa with a mandatory 14 days of quarantine for all people arriving from abroad. Travelers from countries with over 200 cases of coronavirus are barred from entering the country unless they are Ghanaian citizens or residents.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">MAURITANIA </h3>



<p>After confirming its first case on March 13, the West African country closed the international airport, suspended teaching in schools and universities, and banned weekly markets.  </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">MADAGASCAR </h3>



<p>One of the world’s poorest countries, the island nation has suspended all flights for 30 days, a blow to its tourism industry. </p>



<p>(Reporting by Africa bureaux)</p>



<p>This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN2150U6-OZATP">https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN2150U6-OZATP</a> and is republished with its permission.</p>


Clarification on COVID-19 “hotspots” as SA moves to level 3 lockdown

FACTBOX: What Africa is doing to fight coronavirus

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<p>Ethiopia will manage the logistics and disbursement of millions of COVID-19 prevention and containment materials that Alibaba Foundation will donate to each one of the 54 African nations. Also, there are growing concerns over ethnic tensions and now the COVID-19 outbreak which may jeopardize the forthcoming general elections in the country. Mikael Arage, Technology, Business &#038; Politico-Economical Analyst joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


mikael

COVID-19: Billionaire Jack Ma to donate masks, test kits to all countries in Africa


<p>NAIROBI/ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) &#8211; More African nations confirmed their first cases of the coronavirus and shut borders amid fears of the disease’s impact on fragile health systems, as Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma pledged to donate over 1 million testing kits to the continent.</p>



<p>Thirty African countries &#8211; more than half the continent &#8211; are now treating nearly 400 patients with coronavirus, after Tanzania, Liberia, Benin and Somalia said they registered their first cases. </p>



<p>Africa had until recently been spared the rapid spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 180,000 people worldwide and caused over 7,000 deaths. But health experts are concerned the continent’s often dilapidated health infrastructure will struggle to cope as cases mount. </p>



<p>“We cannot ignore the potential risk to Africa and assume this continent of 1.3 billion people will blissfully escape the crisis. The world cannot afford the unthinkable consequences of a COVID-19 pandemic in Africa,” Ma’s foundation said in a statement. </p>



<p>The foundation will send 1.1	million testing kits, 6 million masks and 60,000 protective suits and face shields to Ethiopia for distribution to Africa’s 54 nations, it said. </p>



<p>Earlier on Monday, the World Bank said it had committed $60 million to Kenya to help the East African nation battle the outbreak. </p>



<p>Some countries on the continent, such as conflict-hit Somalia, depend on donors to support basic public health facilities. </p>



<p>Somalian Health Minister Fawziya Abikar Nur said the ministry had quarantined and tested four Somalis who came from China last week, and one had tested positive for the respiratory disease. International flights to Somalia were suspended for two weeks, the aviation minister said. </p>



<p>In West Africa, the small and impoverished nation of Liberia announced its first case. Liberia was devastated by a 2014 Ebola epidemic that killed 4,000 people, and its healthcare system has remained underfunded despite promises of investment. </p>



<p>Benin, considered a relatively stable democracy in the turbulent West African region, also announced its first case. The Health Ministry said the Beninois national was being held in an isolation ward in the capital after returning from Belgium and Burkina Faso on March 11. </p>



<p>The Health Ministry in the East African nation of Tanzania also confirmed its first case, a Tanzanian woman who had travelled to Denmark, Sweden and Belgium. She had her temperature taken at the airport but had no fever and was allowed to pass, but later felt unwell at her hotel, the ministry said. [L8N2B913C] </p>



<p>Also on Monday, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Senegal and Cameroon all reported more cases and South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said his nation, which has 62 cases so far, may need to raid other government departments for funds to fight the disease. He did not provide any figures. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CRACKDOWN AS BORDERS CLOSE </h3>



<p>Many African nations, including some without reported cases, have ordered tougher control measures, including bans on public gatherings, halting flights and closing schools and universities. </p>



<p>In northern Africa, Tunisia said it would suspend international flights and close its land border in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. </p>



<p>Botswana, in southern Africa, said on Monday it would bar entry to travellers from 18 high-risk countries, including China, Britain, the United States, Iran, France and Italy.  </p>



<p>In West Africa, Senegal said it would suspend flights to and from France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Portugal, as well as Tunisia and Algeria, for a period of 30 days. </p>



<p>Ivory Coast said it would bar entry to travellers from countries with over 100 cases, although Ivorian citizens and residents would be allowed to return if they went into quarantine for 14 days. It also closed schools, nightclubs and cinemas and banned gatherings of over 50 people, according to a national security council statement. </p>



<p>Ethiopia, Africa’s second-largest nation, joined the growing list of countries that closed schools for two weeks, suspended all large gatherings and cancelled all sports events, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said.  </p>



<p>Government buses will give people free rides to curb overcrowding in the public transport system, a statement said. </p>



<p>In Central Africa, Congo Republic said it would suspend all flights from high-risk countries from Thursday. Neighbouring Gabon reduced the number of flights from abroad to one a week per airline and ordered restaurants to close, barring takeout and delivery. </p>



<p>Nigeria’s Health Ministry said the country, Africa’s most populous, had strengthened contact tracing, stockpiled reagents used in test kits and increased testing capacity.  </p>



<p>Also on Monday, Kenyan police raided a clinic alleged to be selling fake coronavirus testing kits. Police detained staff and locked the facility, witnesses told Reuters journalists at the scene, after it had been advertising testing kits online. </p>



<p>(Reporting by Giulia Paraviciniin Addis Ababa, Adbi Sheikh in Mogadishu, Omar Mohammed, Baz Ratner and David Lewis in Nairobi, Juliette Jabkhiro in Dakar, Clement Uwiringiyiman in Kigali; Olivia Kumwenda in Johannesburg and Elias Biryabarema in Kampala; Diadie Ba in Dakar; Christian Elion in Brazzaville; Loucoumane Coulibaly in Abidjan; Gerauds Wilfried Obangome in Libreville; Writing by George Obulutsa, Katharine Houreld and Alessandra Prentice; Editing by William Maclean, Steve Orlofsky and Peter Cooney)</p>



<p>This article was first published on Reuters Africa <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN214194-OZATP">https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN214194-OZATP</a> and is republished with its permission.</p>


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