AFRICA’S GOVERNANCE RESPONSE TO COVID-19 | PRELIMINARY REPORT 2020 Our assumptions are not fixed. Some are scientifically determined; others are the product of our socialization and culture; and others are derived from our religious beliefs. These assumptions are also not fixed across time. They change with time. In many cases, such changes come because of a cataclysmic change in the world, or within countries. These can be a world war, a famine, or a flood like in the ancient period (Noah’s flood). responses, measures and strategies, that have been implemented by member states. More importantly, the report seeks to facilitate evidencebased policy responses to the crisis and to enable information sharing. The report employs a scientifically sound, horizonscanning consolidation of trends with a view to mapping out the multi-sectoral policy responses across the continent. Its primary methodology was the collection of data through APRM national structures and desk-study the context and responses to the pandemic in all African states across all five regions. The end of the Cold War at the beginning of the 1990s was one such cataclysmic change, one that led to not only the end of the former Soviet Union, but also led to the creation of new states in Eastern Europe. The independence of South Africa was also a product of this historical moment. The report notes that the outbreak of COVID-19 has compelled governments and multilateral agencies across the globe to reflect on the nature and effectiveness of public institutions. We are now at another turning point in history due to COVID-19, and the APRM will be affected, particularly its methodology and tools. Motivated by a duty to contribute to how Africa can respond to this pandemic, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) thought it would be worthwhile to establish how its member states are acting to combat the spread of the virus and to deal with its impact on their people and economies. This report therefore seeks to provide comprehensive information on COVID-19 and the various governance The report concludes with a set of recommendations for consideration by the African Union (AU), member states and the APRM Prof. Eddy Maloka Chief Executive Officer APRM Continental Secretariat 4