Not the Time to Take Chances! Why African Governments’ Response to COVID 19 Matters
İsrael Nyaburi Nyaderaa b✉, Brian Wandwkhac, Billy Agwandad
- aDepartment of Government and Public Administration, University of Macau, Macau, China
- bDepartment of Political Science, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey
- cDepartment of Radio, Television and Cinema, Ankara Haci Bayram University, Ankara, Turkey
- dDepartment of African Studies and International Relations, Istanbul Commerce University, Istanbul, Turkey
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
Since independence, African governments have been criticized for either their slow, ineffective, or lack of homegrown solutions when addressing challenges in their respective countries. From economic and development models to dealing with conflicts, governance practices, and planning, overreliance and dependence on external practices which sometimes fail to take into consideration the unique domestic challenges have characterized the response of many African governments. This has, in turn, tainted the image of the continent over their ability to adequately deal with disasters. As the rest of the world is struggling to deal with their share of challenges as a result of the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly important that every country adopts measures that will effectively deal with the spread of the disease. This essay seeks to step back from the seemingly crowded debate over where the next epicentre of COVID 19 will be in Africa and focus on what lessons and measures governments in Africa can adopt during and after the pandemic.