As the world observes International Day of Zero Tolerance against female genital mutilation (FGM), under the theme, “No Time for Global Inaction: Unite, Fund, and Act to End female genital mutilation,” UNFPA and UNICEF call for the accelerated implementation of the National Costed Roadmap to End Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation amid fears of an increase in harmful practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNFPA estimate two million additional cases of female genital mutilation are likely to occur globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to end FGM have been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many countries experiencing a “crisis within a crisis” due to an increase in female genital mutilation and other forms of gender-based violence.
In Ethiopia, 25 million girls and women have undergone FGM, the largest absolute number in Eastern and Southern Africa. Yet, attitudes towards this practice are shifting: more than 7 in 10 girls and women oppose the continuation of the practice. With less than a decade left to achieve SDG target 5.3 to eliminate all harmful practices, eliminating female genital mutilation necessitates gender-transformative approaches that tackle the structures, policies and harmful gender norms that perpetuate the practice especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNFPA, UNICEF call for renewed commitment to end female genital mutilation in Ethiopia
African ministers meet with IMF, ECA on immediate economic response to COVID-19
The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Vera Songwe, met with African Ministers in charge of finance and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, to discuss immediate economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the virtual meeting, which was convened by the ECA and IMF, the ministers were unanimous in their call for additional liquidity, $500 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) , better market access, more concessional resources and an extension in the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), given the prolonged nature of the pandemic.
“We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic will persist for the next 2-3 years. Why are we extending the DSSI for 6 months and not 24 months?” said Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
The Tax and Investment Desk of Centurion Plus Launches the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Impact Report
The AfCFTA eliminates tariffs on 90 per cent of goods produced on the continent, tackles non-tariff barriers to trade and guarantees the free movement of persons. It consolidates a market of 1.2 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.5 trillion.
While the private sector in Africa has been grappling with dealing with the effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the AfCFTA provides for key benefits such as open borders, improved contracts, and better structured value chains. The private sector being a key stakeholder and a major beneficiary of the AfCFTA has a lot that it can benefit from the AfCFTA.
The AfCFTA provides an opportunity for businesses to expand into African markets through the liberalization of markets and the progressive reduction of access barriers within the continent. In addition, businesses can take advantage and participate in supporting the diversification of African economies away from low-value-added products and commodities as well as in the development of regional value chains. The AfCFTA enhances competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level through exploitation of opportunities for scale production, continental market access and better reallocation of resources.
Digitalization a critical accelerator of sustainable development goals, says President Kenyatta at ABF2021
Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, on Monday passionately delivered an inspiring keynote address during the Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) fourth African Business Forum, emphasizing the importance for African governments to create enabling regulatory environments, develop vibrant and sustainable financial and research support structures to spur innovation on the continent.
Kenyatta said partnering with a broad range of technology players across the ecosystem around the world was also crucial for Africa to fully reap the benefits of digital technologies in expanding job opportunities or supporting the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on the continent.
“Kenya is making digitization central to its post-COVID-19 recovery strategy and a critical accelerator of the sustainable development goals,” the President told delegates attending the forum which was held on the margins of the 34th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
