The spread of COVID-19 seems to have taken a different path in Africa, but is now starting to accelerate

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COVID-19 seems to have spread at a slower pace in Africa than in many other parts of the world. In Europe, where the virus peaked in February and March in countries like Italy and Spain, the spread of the virus seems to be mostly under control for the moment (with the exception of Poland and Sweden), but all indications are pointing to the fact that they are bracing for a second wave of infections. Similarly,…

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The military value-add in situations of crisis: the case of COVID-19

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The breakout of the coronavirus (COVID-19) set in motion one of the most devastating global crises of our time. While COVID-19 started as a health crisis, the pandemic quickly morphed into a society-wide strategic, security and social economic crisis of monumental proportions. This article argues that the current deployment of the military in several African countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic attests to the value of these important assets across the world. The doctrine, competence,…

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“People are living a normal life”: challenging the myths of COVID-19 in South Sudan

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Peacebuilding organisations are at the heart of the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Sudan. Saferworld spoke to their partners, Church and Development and the Organisation for Children’s Harmony, about how they are raising awareness of the pandemic and continuing to work with communities on safety and security concerns.   Read more

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Access delayed is access denied

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Among the many unsolicited recommendations that African governments are being pelted with presently, those pertaining to patents and the pricing of a potential COVID-19 vaccine are arguably the most expedient. It is certain that the vaccine will arrive in a cocoon of patents which will make it significantly costlier than a generic version. Even before COVID-19, some health economists argued that low vaccine prices cause shortages. As the global nature of the pandemic guarantees the…

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Why Governance Matters in the Time of COVID-19

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This blog post argues that while we do not yet know what medicinal cocktails can effectively combat the global coronavirus pandemic, we do know what sort of governance is necessary. Governments with high accountability, transparency, and trust are proving to have more success responding credibly, responsibly, and effectively.   Read more

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What Ebola Crisis Can Teach Us About COVID-19 Compliance

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This article argues that where national institutions have been damaged by corruption and other unethical behavior, a crisis such as COVID-19 exacerbates business pressures and compliance risks. Corporate compliance and legal teams can learn from risks and responses during the Ebola outbreak to anticipate and address similar fraud, corruption and compliance risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.   Read more

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What kind of research should inform Covid responses?

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This blog post argues that, if we agree that evidence-informed policy and practice are good things, we need to think about what kind of research gets commissioned. Some kinds of research are definitely more useful than others.   Read more

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The COVID-19 Mortality in South Sudan

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In this Policy Brief we have analyzed COVID-19 mortality in South Sudan. The Brief examines the distribution and correlates of the pandemic. State testing capacity unaccounted for, we find that South Sudan is actually one of the least hit countries in the region. Second, old age is a major risk factor for death in South Sudan, with persons 60 years or older 2000 percent more likely to die of the pandemic. Third, females, compared to…

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The Impact of Covid-19 on Peace and Transition Processes: Tracking the Trends

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The research used expert surveys on a set of conflict countries, to understand how Covid-19 pandemic responses were affecting conflict and peace process dynamics. The main findings were as follows: 1. It could have been expected that the Covid-19 crisis would have provided an incentive to opposing groups to ‘pull together’ around ceasefires and peace initiatives. However, experts were pessimistic overall about the pandemic’s impact on peace processes. Main causes for pessimism were the diversion…

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COVID-19: One more setback for refugees in MENA – especially women and girls

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Refugees and the displaced, the majority of them located in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, are now faced with the COVID-19 pandemic and economically damaging efforts at its mitigation. Fragile gains in women’s workforce participation are at risk, gender-based violence is on the rise, and women’s voices are going unheeded. CARE’s soon-to-be-released Rapid Gender Analysis gathers together data from its country offices in MENA and beyond to provide a sobering picture of…

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