ANNUAL REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA No. 23 (2020-2021)

Abstract

In 2020, the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic had difierent effects on Africa's politics, economy, society, security and diplomacy, especially on the African economy. Although African countries have made some progress in promoting economic diversification and industrialization since the beginning of the 21st century, the single economic structure and export-oriented economic mode in most countries have yet been changed. COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly another impact on African economic development in recent years featured by "low growth and high debt", and will probably have a deep influence on the continent's economy. Despite that the pandemic would neither change fundamentals of China-Africa relations nor the trend of reciprocal cooperation between China and Africa, yet it will still bring many uncertainties to China-Africa relations, especially to bilateral economic cooperation. In order to explore and analyze the actual impact of the pandemic on African countries, internal and political afiairs, the editorial board decided to choose the "economic situation of Africa under COVID-19 pandemic" as the theme of this year's African development report.

Although the pandemic has had a greater impact on the political, economic, diplomatic, social and security situation in Africa in the 2020, the pandemic situation in Africa is generally stable compared with other continents from the actual results, even better than that ofthe outside world. The political situation in Africa has continued the development trend of general stability in the past. In this year, more than 10 countries held general elections. Except for turmoil and conflicts in some individual countries, elections in most countries were held in an orderly manner. However, the security situation in Africa is not optimistic. In addition to the deterioration of non-traditional threats such as terrorism, the economic and livelihood crisis under the pandemic situation has led to a sharp increase in demonstrations, which has become a major hidden danger afiecting political and social stability conflicts among African countries have also increased due to interest disputes. In addition, Africa's economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, falling into the most serious economic recession in more than 50 years, which is mainly reflected in the simultaneous setback of domestic demand and supply, the sharp decrease of external capital inflow, the rising level of government debt, and the deterioration of poverty and unemployment. What is more serious is that the negative impact of the pandemic on African economy will last for a long time. Under the its impact, African economic fundamentals will be eroded, or will fall into the risk of sustained "low growth and high debt". With the weakening of endogenous growth momentum, Africa's economic recovery prospects are worrying.

In 2020, the diplomacy of African countries focused on striving for the international community to help Africa fight the epidemic, promoting international creditors to reduce and remit Africa's foreign debt, attracting funds and technologies to improve Africa's infrastructure, and striving for the international community to provide support for maintaining Africa's peace and security. In this process, on the one hand, Africa has shown a positive and enterprising side, such as striving to speak with one voice, actively improving the business environment to attract foreign investment, and increasing efforts for sustainable economic development on the other hand, Africa's structural dependence status in its foreign relations is still difficult to be changed in the short term, and Africa's dependence on anti-pandemic materials and technology as well as the vaccines has become the latest manifestation of its external dependence. However, with the ongoing competition of big powers in Africa, the continent may explore opportunities of more free space for its foreign relations.

The pandemic has once again verified the success of China-Africa cooperation. In 2020, China-Africa relations once again became the focus of the relations between world big powers and Africa. At a time when other world big powers are reluctant to spare their attention to other countries due to the pandemic, China-Africa relations have been proven to be an exception. In addition to the grand celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the critical moment of the fight against the pandemic, Chinese and African leaders joindy held online the Extraordinary Summit of Solidarity Against COVID-19 where they discussed cooperation on anti-pandemic issues, highlighting the essence of solidarity, cooperation and win-win of China-Africa relations.

Keywords: Africa; Economic Recovery; Security Situation; China-Africa Relations