Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is proving a long walk. Frightfully, the global confirmed cases of coronavirus surpassed the 7.04 million mark this week, with the United States registering the highest Covid-19 caseload (over 2.03 million).
As some countries begin to slowly make gains against the epidemic, the world faces a major dilemma of opening economies amid risks to public safety owing to rising numbers of infections.
The big question remains: how can countries fight Covid-19 and simultaneously promote social and economic development? In Kenya, President Kenyatta has adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ stance, extending containment measures for another 30 days, including curfews and partial lockdowns in hotspots.
It is against this backdrop that on June 9-10, 2020, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) hosted a forum of global think tanks to explore ways of enhancing global cooperation to combat Covid-19, leading to post-Covid world as a “Global Community of Shared Future”. Attended by more than 160 participants from 40 countries and nine international organisations, the forum underscored global solidarity and cooperation as central to economic recovery from the pandemic, which is, no doubt, the worst peacetime crisis in modern times.
Working together is the surest pathway to keep our globe safe, commerce flowing and make our planet a habitable home for us all. In the face of the epidemic, a coordinated approach to combat the virus is indispensable.
It is Samora Machel, the first president and founding father of Mozambique, who once told us that: “Solidarity is not an act of charity but mutual aid between forces fighting for the same objective.”
And in the turbulent 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. made the clarion call that: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
The Covid-19 pandemic is a threat to all humanity, not just to certain countries or races. It is in this context that Chinese President Xi Jinping proclaimed that “viruses like Covid-19 neither respect borders nor discriminate between races.” Indeed, the worldwide protests over the murder of George Floyd reveals humanity’s collective determination to live together in dignity and harmony as brothers.
However, forging solidarity against Covid-19 is no walk in the park. Efforts are needed to break a rising tidal wave of anti-globalisation exemplified by the resurgence of populism, isolationism and protectionism.
The Covid-19 epidemic has spurred the escalation of nationalism, racism and fears of a return to the Cold War.
Moreover, collectively, the outbreak, measures taken to contain its spread and populist approaches by sections of world leaders have devastated economies and communities.
African economies have steadily grown by over 5 per cent on average over the past three decades. Despite an initial low confirmed cases, the pandemic is turning its fury on the continent. The IMF estimates that Africa’s economy will shrink by 1.6 per cent in 2020. Worse, the epidemic has raised the scale of Africa’s indebtedness.
The coronavirus crisis is ravaging communities already weakened by the cumulative impact of protracted conflicts, terrorism, desert locust invasion, floods and climate change. Pent-up rage, anxiety and energy by those bearing the full brunt of the epidemic have triggered protests and riots.
This points to the need to balance between the need for economic growth and measures to contain the pandemic and to calibrate the opening-up of economies and the imperative to prevent re-infection and resurgence of the disease.
However, beyond the cloud of despair, there is a ray of hope. China’s spectacular triumph over virus shows Covid-19 is not invincible. From China’s ground zero comes vital lessons, which Beijing is already sharing with Africa and other countries. Together, humanity can overcome the pandemic.
Decisions of the world’s superpowers like China will determine the future of humanity. China has committed to “strengthen solidarity with the rest of the international community to jointly fight the epidemic” and is investing in building a community of shared destiny for mankind.
The world’s middle powers – the mass of states that are neither great powers nor superpowers but have international recognition and influence – need to weigh in and support the solidarity agenda against Covid-19.
Strengthening multilateral response to the pandemic is critical. China has pledged $20 million to help the World Health Organization (WHO) improve public health systems in developing countries, including Africa.
Moreover, China, its companies, organisations and even private citizens have variously extended a helping hand to developing countries. This is not the first time China is aiding Africa’s war against epidemics. Beijing provided vital support to Africa in the fight against the Ebola virus. This is not “political debt”. It exemplifies the brotherhood of humanity.
Combating Covid-19 is now firmly a key plank of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), itself a premier symbol of globalisation. The world may require a grand recovery plan along the lines of the American Marshal Plan to Europe. BRI potentially provides an ideal global framework for such a recovery plan.
Africa and China have agreed on development priorities within the context of FOCAC. The FOCAC agenda needs to integrate strengthening Africa’s medical capacity to contain Covid-19 and future pandemics. Solidarity is crucial in addressing the growing indebtedness and the diminished capacity of developing countries to service their debts.
Africa applauded the decision by the G20 nations in March declaring a time-bound suspension of debt service payments for the poorest countries as they fight the pandemic. Facing the future, a collective global defence system against epidemics and a recovery plan form pivotal pillars in building a community of shared destiny for humanity.
Professor Peter Kagwanja is former Government Adviser and currently Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute (API). This article is an except from a presentation during the Global Think Tanks Online Forum On: ‘Enhanced Global Cooperation to Combat Covid-19 and Build a Global Community of Shared Future’, June 9-10, 2020.
