Amujae Leader and former Economy and Finance Minister for the Republic of Guinea, Malado Kaba, is calling on African leaders to seize the opportunity to innovate and advance local economic development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an opinion piece for Kapital Afrik, Malado highlights the tragic impact of the pandemic as a humanitarian crisis. However, she notes that it could also become a platform to drive growth across the continent.

She notes that digitization of the public sector has the potential to kickstart growth, offering a range of benefits to both those working within the sector and to the broader economy:

“For a country like Guinea, a digital transformation of the public sector could bring both transparency and efficiency… Furthermore, a digitized administration has the potential to streamline processes, thereby increasing efficiency; enhancing coordination between departments; increasing transparency levels in public affairs; and improving accountability.”

Reflecting on the Ebola crisis and the learnings it can offer as the continent combats this new pandemic, Malado also examines the need to promote local production and intra-African trade to stabilize economies. She highlights how economic stimulus packages can help foster participation in public life:

“As governments worldwide implement vital fiscal packages, engaging a wide range of stakeholders in the process helps to ensure that public funds are used in a transparent and inclusive way to benefit the many. It is time for governments to make room for people to assert their rights and engage in how public resources are spent and shared.”

Read the full article here.