Africa after COVID-19: Resetting policy priorities for resilient growth through economic transformation

The policy brief asserts that current policy approaches in most African countries are insufficient for long-term development and resilience. It highlights that growth has been unstable, hampered by the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis and the 2014-2015 end of the commodities boom, while Sustainable Development Goals remain off track. The text identifies 'megatrends' such as climate change, population growth, and technological innovation as critical challenges. It specifically criticizes the continued reliance on primary commodity production and natural resource extraction, which leads to 'jobless growth' and leaves economies vulnerable to external shocks.

• African economies remain vulnerable to external shocks due to a persistent reliance on the production and export of primary commodities with minimal value addition, as well as a dependence on natural resource extraction that results in growth without significant job creation.
• Long-term development in Africa is threatened by several cross-border 'megatrends', including climate change, demographic transitions, population growth, and rapid technological innovation, all occurring amidst rising global isolationism and trade barriers.
• Progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was insufficient even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and historical structural weaknesses in African economies have caused growth to buckle during previous crises, such as the 2007-2008 Global Financial Crisis and the 2014-2015 end of the commodities boom.

APA

Osei, J. (2022). Africa after COVID-19: Resetting policy priorities for resilient growth through economic transformation. African Center for Economic Transformation. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/policy-briefs/africa-after-covid-19-resetting-policy-priorities-for-resilient-growth-through-economic-transformation/

Chicago

Osei, John. Africa after COVID-19: Resetting policy priorities for resilient growth through economic transformation. African Center for Economic Transformation, 2022. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/policy-briefs/africa-after-covid-19-resetting-policy-priorities-for-resilient-growth-through-economic-transformation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Osei |first1=John |title=Africa after COVID-19: Resetting policy priorities for resilient growth through economic transformation |publisher=African Center for Economic Transformation |date=17 August 2022 |url=https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/policy-briefs/africa-after-covid-19-resetting-policy-priorities-for-resilient-growth-through-economic-transformation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{osei2022africa, author = {Osei, John}, title = {{Africa after COVID-19: Resetting policy priorities for resilient growth through economic transformation}}, institution = {African Center for Economic Transformation}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/policy-briefs/africa-after-covid-19-resetting-policy-priorities-for-resilient-growth-through-economic-transformation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }