July 23, 2020

Anna Murray 

Earlier this year, the COVID-19 pandemic first hit China, notably enforced by the lockdown in the city of Wuhan. Since then, the Coronavirus has spread throughout Europe and the US to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths. Meanwhile, other nations across the globe seemingly have turned inward and focused on containing the spread of COVID-19 by themselves with minimal global cooperation.

China and the US have been agitating each other in the South China Sea. China also has been clashing with India as well as cracking down on dissent in Hong Kong amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

On July 21st, European Union leaders agreed to adopt a landmark spending package, a 750 billion euro (US$857 billion) stimulus agreement to fight Coronavirus recession, to rescue their economies from the ravages of the Coronavirus pandemic. The groundbreaking stimulus package includes unprecedented steps to help less wealthy countries and give much of the money as grants, not loans.

The ongoing pandemic has created new risks for Africa and Latin America already vulnerable populations that pushed people from their homes by wars or natural disasters and has exacerbated a major challenge in keeping the social distancing. Without international support, it will be difficult for countries in Africa and Latin America to secure their economies and come out of the Coronavirus crisis with comprehensive solutions.