After the qualification of a pandemic given the Covid-19 by the world health Organization, african countries are quickly mounted to the front to try to reduce the faster the spread of the virus. Nearly seven months after the beginning of the crisis, the fight is far from won. At 23 August, more than 23 million people have been infected and more than 804 000 deaths, registered across the world. For Africa, the balance sheet is of the order of 1 179 000 contaminated for nearly 28 000 deaths. Even if these figures are relatively low, the continent is still facing the risk of a massive increase in the number of patients and the need to find alternatives to a containment general. Faced with this situation, the solidarity of the european Union is set in motion.
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Team Europe : solidarity with Africa
To combat the pandemic, the european Union has launched a plan which includes a new initiative dedicated. Called " Team Europe ", it intends to help all partner countries outside the european Union to recover from the crisis. Team Europe combines the assistance of the european Union, its member States and financial institutions such as the Group of the european investment Bank. In June 2020, nearly 36 billion euros had been mobilized for this initiative. The EIB Group (european investment Bank) has promised € 6.7 million for Team Europe. The EIB support will respond to urgent needs in health care and help of many public and private sectors.
Several businesses in africa and europe have indicated their strong willingness to use their expertise and technology to find alternatives to the quarantine of persons and to assist in the fight against the crisis. Some of the new digital technologies currently used in Africa can be quickly implemented and have proved useful in the fight against the pandemic in several countries.
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The digital against the Covid-19 : the investigation of the EIB
To better understand the digital solutions that can help Africa and estimate the required investment, the european investment Bank (EIB) has conducted an extensive survey in many african countries, with the assistance of the united Nations Program for development. "The goal was to highlight technology solutions that can manage the pandemic, and to provide an estimate of the costs," explains Jean-Michel Huet, partner of the law firm Bearing Point, involved in the investigation. "This evaluation has comprised two main phases : first, identify the solutions that are already helping Africa and Europe ; then, identify the numerical solutions of which the african countries need," he adds.
In the wake of the firm BearingPoint, whose he is partner, Jean-Michel Huet participated in the study initiated by the european investment Bank in partnership with the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP). © DR
" These solutions have been classified according to five priorities : to inform, to communicate risks and geo-tag records ; and support the response of health systems ; and provide products of first need, and manage the continuity of essential services ; protect vulnerable populations and anticipate the impact on society and the economy. "On the basis of the classification system, and after reviewing more than 100 digital solutions in Europe and Africa, interviews were conducted and questionnaires were completed involving 50 people from 30 african countries. The interviewees are in charge of the coordination of digital investments linked to the outbreak of Covid-19 ", full Ludovic Morinière, senior manager at BearingPoint.
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different profiles of the countries identified to better tailor financing
On the basis of the results, three categories of countries were identified : n° 1, low-capacity countries to deploy digital solutions ; n° 2, countries with an intermediate ability to take advantage of digital solutions and # 3, the countries which have already accomplished three or four priorities identified in the study. According to Benoît Denis, an economist at the european investment Bank, " the total investment required for these digital solutions, excluding costs related to the telecommunications infrastructure, the training or the improvement of the legislation, has been estimated at 680 million euros ". He continues that the sum is distributed as follows : "first for the country of category 1, € 190 million. The goal was to find affordable solutions for immediate needs and fundamental, while making a big difference in the lives of the citizens. For countries in category 2 have received 140 million euros, the objective has been to improve and develop the systems of health, through programs in the medium and long term in order to streamline the chain of medical and support patients through the provision of medical equipment. Finally, for category 3 countries which have received 350 million euros, the main objective has been to build a health system that is sustainable by putting in place a centralised information system, and connected, to effectively treat patients and collect information to make quick decisions. "
in The light of these means all consequential damages which have been incurred, the african governments have a window of opportunity for action. They can truly enjoy. They may enable them to respond to several priorities at once and to make a long-term assistance to the society and the economy. Beyond the pandemic, this help can really register in the long term.
