The devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Africa's economy has shown that the continent can ill-afford a further delay in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), panelists in a web conference on Africa's economic recovery, post-COVID-19, said on Monday.
"With the COVID-19 crisis, Africa must see the positive message that there comes a time when every groups of people should begin to fend for themselves and be independent and integrate the continent better in terms of trade and investment among ourselves as well as promote growth and development as a people, without always looking out for bailouts from outsiders," he said.
'ACFTA as the way'
Mr Oramah said the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed so many weaknesses across Africa, ranging from lack of basic infrastructure to appropriate economic policies to help drive growth and manage the crisis of current magnitude.
He said "massive hunger is looming if nothing is done before the end of the pandemic," adding that "if governments in Africa allow hunger to take over from COVID-19, the continent would likely see political problems, since hungry people would start agitating."
On developing opportunities for more global support against COVID-19, Mr Maurer said the current crisis has provided an excellent opportunity to address the high incidence of extreme poverty in Africa, which has constrained investment.
