TheCable

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) says lockdowns imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus is costing 42 African countries $65.7 billion monthly.

In a report, COVID-19: Lockdown Exit Strategies for Africa, UNECA said the amount represents 2.5% of the continent’s annual gross domestic product (GDP).

“This is separate from and in addition to the wider external impact of COVID-19 on Africa of lower commodity prices and investment flows,” the report read.

In the report, the UNECA proposed seven exit strategies to bring African economies back on track after lockdowns that helped contain and control the spread of the disease but with devastating economic disruptions.

The COVID-19 exit strategies include improving testing; lockdown until preventive or curative medicines are developed; contact tracing and mass testing; immunity permits; gradual segmented reopening; adaptive triggering; and mitigation.

The report said the strategies being proposed “are assessed with respect to the extent to which each strategy minimizes uncertainty over fatalities”.

UNECA urged African countries to take advantage of being behind the curve saying it could be “an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other regions and their experiments in reopening”.

Countries were also advised to use the extra time to rapidly put in place testing, treatment systems, preventive measures, and carefully design lockdown exit strategies in collaboration with communities and vulnerable groups.

Featured image: Empty street in Lagos during lockdown