This archive report was first published on 10 May 2020.
On May 10, 2020, the world was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many countries struggling to cope with the crisis. In the face of this challenge, several creative initiatives emerged to confront the pandemic, with the healthcare sector being at the forefront of these efforts.
China, the global manufacturing centre, was facing hostility from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries and India, who were threatening punitive trading fines for losses arising from the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan city. This hostility was a result of the pandemic's impact on global trade and the need for countries to reassess their supply chains.
As the world navigated this new reality, Africa and the African Union were faced with the challenge of rethinking and reshaping their emerging global supply chains and industrialisation matrix. The continent's poor health systems and inadequate capacity to meet basic needs for medical and equipment supplies were laid bare by the pandemic.
However, the pandemic also presented an opportunity for Africa to take advantage of the emerging realignments and deepen its role in the supply of products as a manufacturing hub for East and Central Africa. Kenya, in particular, was well-positioned to take advantage of this crisis, with its existing capacities and ecosystem making it an attractive location for foreign investment and technology transfer.
As the world continues to navigate the pandemic, Kenya's leaders must seize the opportunity to attract foreign investment and transfer technology, just as China and Asia have done. By doing so, Kenya can spur industrial manufacturing and become a key player in the global supply chain.
