The measures introduced worldwide to slow down the spread of COVID-19 have a significant socioeconomic impact on all countries. In low- and middle-income countries this impact is compounded by the limited financial, monetary and social instruments and the associated resilience at a state and societal level. Low- and middle-income countries need to engage on three central issues: (1) how to improve the efficacy of various fiscal and monetary interventions in a way that reflects their specific developmental context, (2) what viable (as opposed to available) financing options exist, with specific emphasis on vulnerable groups, and (3) how to align the COVID-19 stimulus with broader technological and social system transformation to support more climate-resilient and sustainable economies.
The COVID-19 Macroeconomic Policy Research in Africa (CoMPRA) project was initiated following a call for rapid response policy research to the COVID-19 pandemic by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The project’s overall goal is to inform macroeconomic policy development in response to the coronavirus pandemic by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and development partners that result in more climate-resilient and gender responsive measures through evidence-based research. The project will focus broadly on Africa and specifically on Benin, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa.
The purpose of this event is two-fold: to introduce stakeholders to the CoMPRA project and to present initial research findings from the project. Initial research focused on four different dimensions of COVID-19 on African countries: 1) the macroeconomic impact of the COVID-19 on African economies; 2) the policy response of African countries to the pandemic; 3) policy and finance options to promote environmental sustainability; and 4) how different policy options impact on marginalised groups.
Findings from this research will be shared at this event.
Download the full programme and speaker biographies.
Related material
Read the CoMPRA policy briefings:
- Drivers of Disparity: How Policy Responses to COVID-19 Can Increase Inequalities
- Green Finance Mechanisms in Developing Countries: Emerging Practice
- The Macroeconomic Impact of COVID-19 on Africa
- Comparative Study of Policy Responses to COVID-19 in LICs in Africa
- Watch the event on YouTube: