Africa’s latent assets, public health, vaccines... Foresight Africa 2022 , Brookings Institute USA

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Africa’s latent assets, Foresight Africa 2022 , Brookings Institute USA

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2022/02/16/africas-latent-assets/

Full report (includes infographics)
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/foresightafrica2022_fullreport.pdf

Chapter headings -- complicated report so download to get whole picture of what they include.

"01  Africa’s economic recovery:

Financing robust post-pandemic growth

In Chapter 1, our authors share reasons for confidence in Africa’s economic recovery and offer strategies for boosting financing to protect and enhance the economic gains of recent decades. The region’s entrepreneurial youth, technological revolution, sustained investments, recent economic successes, and promise of its “latent assets” all contribute to the positive trajectory the region is witnessing despite the emergence of COVID-19 variants that threaten to set the region back.

Viewpoints

Africa’s latent assets By James A. Robinson and Soeren J. Henn Addressing Zimbabwe’s inflation: The role of the digitalization of financial transactions By Mthuli Ncube Investment in science and technology is key to an African economic boom By Ameenah Gurib-Fakim and Landry Signé Zambia’s success will be Africa’s success By H.E. Hakainde Hichilema

02  Public health:

Ensuring equal access and self-sufficiency

Indeed, much of Africa’s economic recovery hinges on the world’s ability to contain this virus in the long term—as we saw late last year in the reactive travel bans that punished Africa for the omicron variant already circulating around the globe. Clearly, national economies can only have robust growth if both the global economy and their populations are healthy. For this reason, we dedicate Chapter 2 to strategies for preparing Africa’s health systems to be self-sufficient for tackling both current and future health crises as well as exploring strategies to achieve global health equity.

Viewpoints

What’s next for R&D in health for Africa? By Christian Happi The future of vaccine manufacturing in Africa By Chidi Victor Nweneka and Tolu Disu Strategies for financing Africa’s health sector By Vera Songwe Paying for the malaria vaccine: Will Africa take responsibility? By Olusoji Adeyi Vaccine inequity: Ensuring Africa is not left out By Michel Sidibé

03 African women and girls:

Leading a continent

Notably, the world has witnessed remarkable leadership under African women when navigating these crises—at a time when recent gains in women and girl’s education, health, and livelihoods have reversed. Africa’s women and girls continue to flex their intellectual and metaphorical muscles across a variety of arenas—in politics, in offices, in the home, in schools, in laboratories, in hospitals, and on the global stage, to name just a few. Thus, in a first-ever decision, this year, we dedicate a full chapter, Chapter 3, to strategies for further empowering African women and girls.

Viewpoints

Making the future of African STEM female By Adefunke Ekine and Ayotola Aremu

04 Climate change:

Tackling a global challenge

Africa has already shown its ability to lead when it comes to tackling the global climate change crisis through shared efforts like the Common Africa Position. It bears repeating that, despite contributing least to the problem, Africa is experiencing the worst effects—not only in increased natural disasters, but also in cascading impacts like migration and decelerated economic growth. Thus, in Chapter 4, our authors show that, through regional solidarity as demonstrated at the recent global climate negotiations at the U.N. Climate Change Summit; successful local and national response to climate mitigation and adaptation; and increased global commitment to climate finance, this challenge does not have to be the insurmountable.

Viewpoints

The criticality of climate finance for Africa By Amar Bhattacharya Addressing Africa’s dual challenges: Climate change and electricity access By Jeanine Mabunda Lioko

05 Technological innovations

Creating and harnessing tools for improved livelihoods

Notably, a major tool in tackling climate change and other existential threats is technology. This year, we approach the technological revolution with an eye towards practicality: It is omnipresent, so how can Africa best leverage these new technologies? Thus, in Chapter 5, our authors approach the reality and practicability of technological tools, including cryptocurrencies, improved remittance systems, digital diplomacy, and data governance for long-term socioeconomic gains.

Viewpoints

Boosting the AfCFTA: The role of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System By Mike Ogbalu III Africa needs smarter investment in digital infrastructure: Strategies for enticing the private sector By Tara Nathan The private sector must do its part on data governance in Africa By Lesly Goh and Buhle Goslar

06 Africa’s external relations:

Reinventing and pursuing new partnerships

The pandemic exposed holes in the fabric of global collaboration and the vulnerability of Africa to global headwinds. Even before the pandemic, though, African countries were looking to foster more balanced relationships with other parts of the world that understand the region’s challenges and might share their lessons, resources, and political capital for equal economic advancement. Thus, in Chapter 6, our authors consider Africa’s relationships with emerging partners, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Gulf states, Russia, and others, and examine how those relationships might lead to prosperous futures for all parties."

See link above for full report.

Thank you Helen for calling this to our attention.

Regards,

Deborah

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