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Ruth Butaumocho African Agenda

As the sun sets on 2021 and the scent of a new year wafts again and again, with a fragrance that raises new expectations, many people would want to quickly bury the past 12 moons into the chasm of history.

Dreams were tattered and iron hopes shredded into smithereens, as Covid-19 took its toll with brazen ruthlessness and cruel intentions.

This is the year when the fragility of man — when exposed to real danger — is seen. At the end, we were all reminded that we are not islands, we live with others.

With millions of global citizens under siege from Covid-19, countries and citizens had to reach out to each other for support after it emerged that the human dimensions of the Covid-19 pandemic were beyond the critical health response. Covid was set to decimate economic, social and developmental lives of people across, continents, race and colour. Even time lines were obliterated as man sought for survival in the choking effects of Covid.

However, despite the gloom and doom that characterised the better part of the year, there were also pockets of happiness as Africa took charge of its economic trajectory through the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA).

The dilemma under Covid

The spill over of Covid from 2020 into 2021 ravaged the continent on both the economic and social front resulting in the death of thousands of lives and an unfortunate decline of economic activities in most countries across the continent.

Amid loosening mandates for mask-wearing and social distancing measures, the arrival of the more contagious Delta variant of the virus dampened hopes for a return to pre-pandemic life. However, hope to fight the virus was renewed when news swept through that Covid vaccines would soon be made available to millions across the globe after successful trials.

What followed was a race for the swift and the well-oiled rich countries who began hoarding millions of vaccines-more than what they required-while African and Asian countries watched in awe.

All that was happening at the backdrop of raging new Covid infections of different variants.

African countries, on the other hand, trudged along in earnest, albeit with little resources to fund such a robust but expensive programme, leaving them with less to bankroll other important projects.

Because of the dynamism in the procurement of vaccines, almost 80 percent of African countries failed to meet a target set by the World Health Organisation to fully vaccinate 10 percent of their most vulnerable populations against the coronavirus by the end of September.

Deaths of Former Presidents

A dark cloud hung over the continent from as early as April, when several former presidents died in different African countries.

In April, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli died aged 61. Mr Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks before his death and rumours had circulated about his health. He was one of Africa’s most prominent coronavirus sceptics, and called for prayers and herbal-infused steam therapy to counter the virus

In June, Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s founding president and liberation hero, died at a military hospital in Lusaka where he was being treated for pneumonia.

Former Chadian president Hissène Habré, who was serving a life term in Senegal died at the age of 79.

FW de Klerk, the former president of South Africa and the last white person to lead the country, died at the age of 85 in African countries died during the course of the year.

Terrorism in the continent

Terrorism activities in some parts of Africa, threatened to disrupt the peace that the continent has enjoyed over the years. There were reported incidences of terrorism in several countries in West and East Africa. The problem of insurgency in Mozambique resulted in SADC and several other Africa countries-among them Rwanda sending peace-keeping army to quell the problem in Cabo Delgado, which sadly is now spreading to other provinces.

Mozambican president, President Filipe Nyusi recently cautioned his people against panic, following reports that violence by armed groups was spreading beyond Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado into neighbouring Niassa province. However, despite the spread of the insurgency in the neighbouring Mozambique, SADC remains committed to ensuring that the problem is dealt with.

Operationalisation of AFCTA

Nearly six decades of Nkrumah’s appeal for unity at all fronts, Africa is edging closer to the dream of the late Pan Africanist Kwame Nkrumah, when he appealed to the African leaders to create strong continental unity. The launch and the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA) is touted as one of the continent’ achievement, which is expected to grow and improve intra-trade.

Although, AfCTA was slightly delayed owing to the outbreak of Covid-19, trading activities within ACFTA sailed smoothly during the course of the year, with countries like Ghana reporting brisk business from various member countries.

Member countries are already optimistic that the continental markets will level the playing field and bring to the fore the potential the continent possess on trade, which many could not see because Africa had limited share trade on a number of international trading forums.

Some of the benefits that Africa expects to get from IATF through AfCFTA, include higher income arising from increased efficiency and productivity from improved resource allocation, higher cross-border investment flows, and technology transfers.

That development alone will bolster member country efforts in reducing poverty, unemployment and enhance food security.

From the long held wrong narrative that Africa is a hopeless continent, the continent could soon find itself neck to neck with other growing continental giants, once member states utilise the competitive advantages it has over other continents.

Presidential Elections in Africa

2021 was a year of presidential elections on the continent. Apparently, the pandemic-induced time distortion that defined 2020 did not stop African leaders from defining their political trajectory, hence the decision to hold presidential elections across.

In January, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni was re-elected to a 6th term in office wading off the opposition whose major contender was Bobby Wine. Several other African countries held presidential elections, and these included, Benin, Congo, Chad, Gambia, Sao-Tome and Principe and Cape Verde and the neighbouring Zambia.

Despite attempts by some foreign elements to destabilise political transitions in African countries, the majority of the elections were held peaceful and in a progressive manner.

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