covid-19 Archives - Page 2 of 2 - AfricaBusiness.com

16Feb

By Pablo MitogoNo Comments

Equatorial Guinea, Main

Reduction Of Personnel For Economic Reasons Vs Suspension Of Employment Contracts: Why Are Companies In Equatorial Guinea Spending Money In Times Of Crisis?

By Pablo Mitogo, Associate Attorney, Centurion Law Group Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many countries have been overwhelmed and the health systems of the most powerful countries have collapsed. The wave of chaos has also reached companies, especially in small economies such as Equatorial Guinea. Many companies have seen their volume of activity decrease drastically, with subsequent cost reductions. The question remains how does a company reduce costs without drowning the company? In recent months we have seen many processes of reduction of employee workforce. Careful observation revealed that companies that reduced workforce for economic reasons suffered penalties of 30 days of salary per year of work for each worker. Consequently, they increased costs rather...

27Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Medicine, South Africa News

There is a third way to minimise COVID exposure –Let’s start using it

by FAR UVC AFRICA There is nothing normal about what some people are calling the “new normal“. Humans are gregarious. For millions of years, we have eaten together, celebrated together, and played together. It’s time to get back to that “old normal“. And there are certainly safe ways to go back there. The main way SARS-Co-2 spreads, in fact the way most coronaviruses spread, is through the air. An infected person coughs or sneezes and aerosolised droplets are inhaled by an otherwise healthy person. There are two primary methods for minimising exposure to the virus recommended by the various Centres for Disease Control: wearing a mask or face covering over your mouth and nose, and social distancing. In addition to these two widely publicised methods is a third, fairly new, yet rarely mentio...

27Jan

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

SA’s Transport sector in the age of Covid: A Roadmap to Economic Recovery

The South African transport sector entered the age of Covid already beset by several major challenges. Ageing infrastructure; a lack of impartial regulatory bodies; an unfriendly environment for private sector collaboration; over-reliance on roads for both public transport and freight; and a skewered subsidy model are a few of the structural obstacles that were present. Covid-19 has both highlighted and exacerbated these hurdles and must force the industry out of complacency. The challenges it faces must be viewed as opportunities with the problem areas providing a guide as to the solutions that can be delivered with maximum impact, where they’re most needed. A study conducted in partnership by Business for SA and global management consultancy firm, Kearney found that the already beleague...

1Dec

By Manqoba KhumaloNo Comments

Kingdom of Eswatini News, Main

Eswatini gears up to become a private sector-led economy

By Manqoba Khumalo, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade in Eswatini The Kingdom of Eswatini is gearing up to becoming a private sector-led economy committed to economic reform and determined to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19. Before the global pandemic, the Kingdom of Eswatini was already experiencing key economic challenges characterised by sluggish growth and a budget deficit. The advent of the global pandemic further exacerbated an already fragile economic situation and added another dimension to the fiscal crisis, which demanded a differentiated and rapid approach. To save the economy and the livelihoods of the people of Eswatini, we devised a post-COVID-19 recovery plan earmarking the private sector as the new main driver of employment in the country. The logic ...

Commitment to sustainability opening doors to post-pandemic capital in Africa

8Nov

By Wildu du PlessisNo Comments

Main, Nigeria News, South Africa News

Commitment to sustainability opening doors to post-pandemic capital in Africa

By Wildu du Plessis, Head of Africa, Baker McKenzie The industrials, manufacturing and transport (IMT) sector is being hit hard by COVID-19 disruption, but commitment to sustainability could very well lead the sector to recovery. This is according to Baker McKenzie’s report "Sustainable Success: Exploring environmental, social and governance priorities for industrials through COVID-19 and beyond" which revealed that industrials have taken great leaps forward in relation to environmental, social and governance matters (ESG) in the past decade. The report outlines how CEOs in the sector have signed up to a new holistic definition of company purpose and most public companies now report on ESG goals. Access to funding is also becoming intricately linked to a commitment to ESG principles, with...

How Fintech can help secure the world from the economic impact of viral pandemics

3Jun

By Mahmood AhmaduNo Comments

Fintech, Interview, Main, Nigeria News

How Fintech can help secure the world from the economic impact of viral pandemics

The coronavirus pandemic continues to turn the world and our lives upside down, with the outbreak forcing governments to put into place measures that reduce the risk of contamination, and focus on pre-emptive processes. The strain on the economy is palpable, and is an impending catastrophe that could exceed the crash of 2008, and the Great Depression a century ago, if left unchecked. Besides asking people to practice social distancing and enforcing lockdowns to avoid the spread of the contagion, governments have another source of contamination they need to worry about: banknotes. The latest Fintech innovations can help mitigate the risk of transmission of the virus, by reducing the need to use physical money. Viruses and pathogens are known to live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. Some res...

The Impact of COVID-19 on China’s Belt and Road Initiatives in Africa

7Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Main

The Impact of COVID-19 on China’s Belt and Road Initiatives in Africa

A new report by Economist Corporate Network, supported by Baker McKenzie and Silk Road Associates, BRI Beyond 2020 (report), shows that the ripple effects of COVID-19 are affecting the nature, pace and scope of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) activity in Africa, mostly for the short term. The report also explains how the virus has led to an increased interest in digital programmes in BRI countries, as well as a heightened focus on sustainability, including workforce health. The BRI is China’s multi-billion dollar plan to link Asia, Europe and Africa. “The COVID-19 epidemic definitely has a dampening effect on BRI activities as Chinese companies focus their resources and efforts on dealing with the various types of impact caused by such epidemic. However, this effect will likely be r...

How to Keep your Team Focused and Productive During Uncertain Times

6Apr

By Omer SaleemNo Comments

Business, Tech

How to Keep your Team Focused and Productive During Uncertain Times

By Omer Saleem, Director and Deputy CEO of Proven SA Big businesses grow and adapt as the market environment changes and do so even more rapidly now with the accelerating technology options. With this growth and infusion of technology driven changes comes a new requirement for corporate positions to evolve with the corporation itself. It has become ever more critical for the overall success of entities that every position is filled by an agile employee whose workload is role-based and goal-oriented, the aim being 360 degree success. Today’s COVID-19 scenario is a prime example of how well-functioning corporations can face shocks to business as usual that can fundamentally change service delivery with downstream effects touching almost every internal part of the organization as well as the ...

The impact of COVID-19 on finance and investment in Africa

10Mar

By Morne van der Merwe and Wildu du PlessisNo Comments

Main, South Africa News

The impact of COVID-19 on finance and investment in Africa

By Morne van der Merwe, Managing Partner, and Wildu du Plessis, Head of Africa, Baker McKenzie Johannesburg The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in mass production shutdowns and supply chain disruptions due to port closures in China, causing global ripple effects across all economic sectors in a rare “twin supply-demand shock”. With South Africa having just reported its first cases of COVID-19, Africa is beginning to feel its full impact and plans to control and manage the humanitarian challenges of the virus are underway across the continent. Economically, the effects have already been felt - demand for Africa’s raw materials and commodities in China has declined and Africa’s access to industrial components and manufactured goods from the region has been hampered. This is causing furth...