Context matters – Why Africa should tailor its own measures to fight COVID-19 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

The document argues that standard lockdown measures are often impractical and potentially more damaging than COVID-19 in Africa due to high poverty levels, weak democratic institutions, and a large informal economy. It highlights risks such as the erosion of democratic processes, food insecurity, and a disproportionate burden on women. The author advocates for localized, flexible responses and calls for wealthier Northern states to provide debt cancellations and aid to prevent regional instability.

• Extensive lockdown measures may be counterproductive in Africa because a large portion of the population relies on the informal sector without access to sick pay or unemployment benefits, making starvation a more immediate threat than the virus.
• The pandemic provides an opportunity for leaders in states with weak democratic institutions to consolidate power, suppress opposition, or circumvent elections through the use of emergency laws.
• Africa faces severe economic risks, including the potential loss of half its GDP due to falling oil revenues, disrupted export trade, and declines in tourism and investment.
• Women are disproportionately affected by the socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic, facing higher risks from precarious employment, limited access to reproductive healthcare, and a surge in domestic abuse.
• Standard public health strategies like 'flattening the curve' are hindered in many African urban areas by high population density, limited access to clean water, and inadequate healthcare capacity.
• The author argues that localized measures based on dialogue and community-led solutions are more realistic and effective than 'one-size-fits-all' responses, citing the success of community care centres during the Ebola outbreak.
• Wealthier Northern states should provide generous aid, debt cancellations, and continued investments to prevent spillover effects such as increased refugees, starvation, and terrorism.

APA

Wilén, N. (2020). Context matters – Why Africa should tailor its own measures to fight COVID-19 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://www.prio.org/comments/914

Chicago

Wilén, Nina. Context matters – Why Africa should tailor its own measures to fight COVID-19 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2020. https://www.prio.org/comments/914.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wilén |first1=Nina |title=Context matters – Why Africa should tailor its own measures to fight COVID-19 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=20 April 2020 |url=https://www.prio.org/comments/914 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wiln2020context, author = {Wilén, Nina}, title = {{Context matters – Why Africa should tailor its own measures to fight COVID-19 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.prio.org/comments/914}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }