Home-grown Solutions for the Socioeconomic transformation of Africa post COVID 19

The COVID 19 pandemic presents a real opportunity for Africans to collaborate more to find, amplify and resource home-grown solutions to the crises caused or exacerbated by the situation.

This is a wake-up call for Africa to see how it can, in the process of rebuilding its economies, to do so in a way that makes the continent more competitive, more resilient and more productive.  

Four prominent Africans from different sectors addressed the issue in a webinar organised by the Leadership Ethics and Values Institute (LEVI) at the weekend, speaking about local initiatives undertaken in response to the pandemic and examining strategies that could be harnessed in the rebuilding phase.

The event was the second in a series of Public Goods and Resources Policy dialogues hosted by LEVI, a project of the World Economic Forum’s Regional Strategy Group 2018/19.

The event was held on Mandela Day, the birthday of one of Africa’s biggest icons, Nelson Mandela, which every year celebrates his life and work. This set the tone for discussion on the quality of leadership needed to set Africa on a new course.

In her introductory remarks, Ahunna Eziakonwa, Regional Director and Assistant Secretary General for the UN Development Program’s Regional Bureau for Africa, called Mandela an outstanding leader, a global statesman and a moral giant who “symbolises African greatness”.

She called on Africans to forge a new social contract in the spirit of ubuntu, a concept that is defined as being open to and affirming others, which was held dear by Mandela. This should be the foundation for the search by Africans for solutions not just to the continent’s problems, but those in the rest of the world too. 

“We are on the cusp of a new Africa and a new world and it is possible to construct a new normal and a new way,” she said. It is time to entrench a values and principles-based culture for leadership in Africa and to support leaders who make African resources work for Africa’s development.

The session opened with a recorded address by Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. She warned that the pandemic would exacerbate deep inequalities in the world, and that 23 million people in sub-Saharan Africa may be pushed into extreme poverty and food crisis.

But she celebrated the fact that the pandemic had been a driver of innovation, which could be harnessed to take Africa into the post-Covid-19 era and pave the way for socio-economic change. Already 20 countries had shared 50 innovations developed during the pandemic.

She said Kenyans had turned to local manufacture of personal protection equipment to provide the region with these critical inputs; in Rwanda, women entrepreneurs had established clinics with business advisory, coaching and mentorship services; while in Niger, young people had set up a technology platform to share information and alerts online about the coronavirus.

“Africa’s search for home-grown solutions must be guided by African leaders who are ready to embrace transformation.” Policy frameworks needed to be reinforced and effective institutions built that recognise and reward homegrown solutions.

“Africa is using its most precious resource – its young people – to assist.” But she said transformational leadership was required to move Africa forward. There needs to be enhanced transparency and accountability in budget and resource allocation and investment in universal healthcare, education social protection and SMEs.

She said the UN was ready to give concrete support to Africa’s search for home-grown solutions in support of Agenda 2030 and Africa’s own Agenda 2063.

Moderator Muthoni Wanyeki, Director, Africa Regional Office, Open Society Foundation, asked the panel to address two main questions: What are the biggest socio-economic challenges you have been concerned about over these past few months and what are the most exciting innovations you have seen that are addressing these challenges.  

Wamkele Mene, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, said the pandemic had highlighted Africa’s weak industrial development and its reliance on global supply chains. A global disruption of this nature was probably worse for Africa than other regions because of these challenges, he said.

The situation demands that the deficit in industrial development be addressed and supply chains in Africa reconfigured. The African Continental Free Trade Area will play a role in realising these objectives, he said.

He said another challenge is that of intellectual property rights. How does the IP regime service Africa’s capacity to manufacture generic drugs, for example, he asked? A strong patent regime needs to be at the heart of Africa’s public health imperatives. “We also have to establish the appropriate regulatory and legal framework for this innovation to take off. Our response is critical to Africa’s survival in future pandemics.”

Social entrepreneur, academic and retired banker Kojo Parris, said the pandemic had called for leaders to step up and he had been impressed with the way Africa’s leaders had done so.

He commented on the growing number of home-grown solutions on the continent that could be replicated elsewhere. He cited PhilaKahle, a programme that supports the adoption of healthier lifestyles by lower income citizens, which is reducing the overall public health burden.

He also mentioned an initiative to repurpose a network of about 1,600 underutilised libraries across South Africa into community centres providing study, meetings and business space.

A third initiative in the pipeline is the greening of urban areas; turning a portion of urban parkland into food growing areas, which could grow nutritious food to feed homeless people.

“These are initiatives that are a result of Covid-19 but can endure beyond it and make Africa more self-sufficient. We need to celebrate and replicate the positive things that are happening.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, CEO of AACE Foods, said the food crisis precipitated by Covid-19 had exposed the fragility of Africa’s food ecosystem, which was undermined by high post-harvest losses, fragmentation of efforts, rising prices and other problems.

But the pandemic had also resulted in greater collaboration between different groups to share data, build technology platforms and create information ecosystems to support food interventions, matching supply to demand. She cited www.beatingcorona.org and www.nourishingafrica.com as two such sources.

“Entrepreneurs in Kenya and interfacing with entrepreneurs in Nigeria. We are breaking down our barriers and working more closely together. We have recognised that we have to build more resilience into our food networks.”

Inward-looking value chains were creating new opportunities, with, for example, multinational companies finding novel ways to source inputs locally. But investment in education and research was necessary and not just research for its own sake, but research that can be translated into new products.

The common practice of viewing agriculture as science rather than business had to end. “Whilst science is important, it is just one piece of the model of success.”

She also said funding of innovation needed to change with more local financing of initiatives. Only two of the top 10 African start-ups in 2019 were locally funded. “It is time for us to take a more radical approach and ensure our companies are investment ready. We are generating wealth in Africa and should reinvest in in the continent.

Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, businesswoman and philanthropist, highlighted the need for legislation to boost entrepreneurship and make economies more independent. She cited the example of South Africa, which had empowered people to create and grow businesses using local laws.

Laws were also in place to drive local beneficiation and manufacturing. The same could be done to drive industrialisation across the continent.

The continent needed to empower itself and rely less on foreigners. She asked why Africans had to suffer the consequences of ratings put in place by foreign organisations and said the continent should build its own ratings agencies and set up a resources bank.

She said the pandemic had been a wake-up call for Africa to look at how it could empower itself and integrate better to drive development. The illicit outflows of capital had to be addressed urgently so countries could have more tax revenues to build roads, hospitals and other infrastructure.

The issue of China’s role in Africa was raised by the audience and dealt with by various speakers.  The point was made that China is one of Africa’s top development partners but to use this relationship to best effect, the continent needs to be clear about its own objectives and needs in engaging not just China but any foreign countries.