The crisis of our lifetime: Africa’s strategic options

Abstract

Will Africa recover from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic? Will the African Union’s vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa ever be realised? This paper explores these questions and possibilities. Based on an ongoing research project, it is written from ‘within’ the COVID crisis at a time when there is no end in sight, yet offers a message of hope, of opportunities that can be grasped and enacted to bring recovery closer to reality. The paper discusses three prominent trends: whether a roadmap to recovery can be envisaged; the indispensable role of leadership; and the search for the economic key to recovery. The paper concludes that there is hope for an African recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, provided ethical leadership can rise to the challenge. Even then, economic recovery might not happen on African terms. At least four interventions can be made to enhance Africa’s ability to recover from the COVID crisis and rebuild a healthy political and socio-economic foundation for Africa’s future. These are: (1) strengthen public health systems; (2) enhance continental integration; (3) ensure a positive role for Africa in the digital economy; and (4) encourage ethical leadership.