This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
Taming Covid-19 while crafting shared future for humanity ¶
Published on June 13, 2020
Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is proving a long and arduous process. The global confirmed cases of coronavirus have surpassed the 7.04 million mark, with the United States registering the highest Covid-19 caseload of 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.
President Kenyatta has adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ stance, extending containment measures for another 30 days, including curfews and partial lockdowns in hotspots.
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 a 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.
Working together is the surest pathway to keep our globe safe, commerce flowing and make our planet a habitable home for us all.
Chinese President Xi Jinping proclaimed that “viruses like Covid-19 neither respect borders nor discriminate between races.”
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.
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.
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.
Combating Covid-19 is now firmly a key plank of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), itself a premier symbol of globalisation.
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.
Professor Peter Kagwanja is former Government Adviser and currently Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute (API).
