by Patrick Agejoh and Esther Njieassam
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic is a human crisis that poses substantial threats to the health, food security and nutrition of the people of the African continent. Our concerns are to the fact that food insecurity and lack of adequate financial resources to provide basic socio-economic needs is exacerbated by the COVID-19. Just like the 2007-2008 global financial crisis that took many by surprise so also is the COVID-19 causing misery for the most vulnerable in the world. This paper assesses the African governments’ response to Covid-19 and asserts that although measures taken to curb the spread of the virus seemed effective to some extent, these directives have left the African continent more vulnerable to food insecurity. Legal and policy measures to balance public responsibility to provide for the citizens and to stop the spread of the pandemic are crucial. This research also interrogates African governmental efforts in accordance with international and domestic laws. The paper concludes that some of the regulations imposed by the state violate people’s rights to food security.
Patrick Agejoh is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg.
Esther Njieassam is Postdoctoral Research Fellow, South African Research Chair in International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg.