The virus has caused a global crisis affecting the core of humanity, affecting the social, economic, environment and related spheres, and it is attacking societies indiscriminately.
In Africa, the region’s fragile health systems and economic costs can derail the socio-economic development trajectory of the global Sustainable Development Goals and the regional Agenda 2063 aspirations.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) projects that Africa’s GDP growth will decrease by almost half to 1.8 percent. In the region, COVID-19 is already disrupting millions of people’s livelihoods, with disproportionate impact on poor households and small and informal businesses.
The translation of collective UN knowledge into strategic action can guide the efforts of all national and international partners to support national governments.
“This Africa Knowledge Management Hub for COVID-19 is an accessible and interactive repository of interventions, engagements and resources designed to support African governments as they grapple with the epidemiological, socio-economic and governance complexities of the deadly coronavirus,” said Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa.
The portal will facilitate the regional UN Development System’s (UNDS) efforts to identify, select, organize, disseminate and transfer important information, knowledge and expertise that are existing in the region.
This will facilitate quick response to specific national member states requests in support of Agenda 2030 and 2063, as well as enhance collaboration amongst the regional UNDS in knowledge management.
The Hub will focus on developing and providing knowledge services from the wider UN system using intelligent clustering and contextualization by leveraging both human and intelligent machine processes.
In addition, the Hub will also provide an interactive platform for collaboration, consultation and networking on important issues for the development agenda on the continent.
ECA and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) co-convened this initiative together with all UNDS entities.
The collaboration is under Strengthened integrated data and statistical systems for sustainable development (Opportunity/Issue Based Coalition 1) with technical expertise on the development of the Hub provided by ECA.
The Africa Knowledge Hub on COVID 19 is a living hub that will be updated consistently and can be accessed at: https://knowledge.uneca.org/
ECA, one of the UN’s five regional commissions, promotes the economic and social development of its member States, fosters intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa’s development
UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
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