Nearly half of all jobs in Africa could be lost without urgent action, says charityMore than half a billion more people could be pushed into poverty unless urgent action is taken to bail out poor countries affected by the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, Oxfam has warned. The UN, which says $2.5tn is needed to support developing countries through the crisis, says nearly half of all jobs in Africa could be lost. Oxfam called for an emergency rescue package that would enable poor countries to provide cash grants to those who have lost their income and to bail out vulnerable small businesses. José María Vera, Oxfam’s international interim executive director, said: “The devastating economic fallout of the pandemic is being felt across the globe. But for poor people in poor countries who are already struggling to survive, there are almost no safety nets to stop them falling into poverty.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 08, 2020 22:52 UTC