https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1930-9561
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ABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 has shifted from an urgent health issue to a major security threat requiring emergency measures that go beyond normal policies. Many African governments have exploited this pandemic as a deadly threat facing both the state and society to justify unprecedented precautionary measures that restrict people’s freedoms. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse the current trend of the interventionist state and its socio-political implications in the medium and long term. Using a qualitative approach and literature review, this study examined the impact of securitisation of COVID-19 on African societies. The key findings reveal that most of the African responses to the pandemic were cases of non-traditional securitisation issues. Therefore, such findings are relevant for further studies to explore new threats and risks in the context of securitisation.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1 Mohamed et al., ‘Food Security COVID-19 Africa’, 1613–5; Musa et al., ‘Estimation Exponential Growth Rate’, 2.
2 Daoudi, War COVID-19 9/11 Health, 6.
3 Buzan et al., Security New Framework Analysis, 21.
4 World Justice Project, ‘COVID-19 Africa Middle’, para 2.
5 He et al., ‘Crisis Governance, Chinese Style’, 252.
6 Fierke, Critical Approaches International Security, 24.
7 Bigo and McCluskey, ‘What PARIS Approach (In)securitization’, 2.
8 de Bengy Puyvallée, ‘Securitization Humanitarian Crisis Norway’, 3–6.
9 Balzacq et al., ‘Securitization Revisited: Theory Cases’, 494; Stritzel, ‘Towards Theory Securitization Copenhagen’, 358; McDonald, ‘Securitization Construction Security’, 363.
10 Eves and Thedham, ‘Applying Securitization’s Second Generation’, para 3–4.
11 Vuori, ‘Illocutionary Logic Strands Securitization’, 76.
12 Buzan et al., ‘Security: New Framework Analysis’, 35.
13 Hassan, What Securitization Corona Virus, para 4.
14 Search for Common Ground, ‘Securitization COVID-19 Response Lessons’, para 6.
15 West, ‘Al-Shabaab Attacks Spike COVID-19’, para 4.
16 International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, ‘African Government Responses COVID-19’, para 6–8.
17 Ihekweazu and Agogo, Africa’s Response COVID-19, 2–3.
18 Liaga et al., ‘Sub-Saharan Governments’ Response COVID-19’, 2–8.
19 Lamony, ‘Comparative Analysis COVID-19 Responses’, para 8; Mohammed et al., ‘Politics Coronavirus Africa Analysis’, 577.
20 Hinson and Attuqefio, ‘Viewpoint Ghana COVID-19 Restrictions’, para 2–3.
21 Lone and Ahmed, ‘COVID-19 Pandemic African Perspective’, 1302.
22 Ozili, ‘COVID-19 Africa Socio-Economic Impact’, 1300–8.
23 Lone and Ahmed, ‘COVID-19 Pandemic African Perspective’, 1303.
24 World Health Organization, ‘COVID-19 WHO African Region’, Dashboard.
25 Adebisi et al., COVID-19 Highlights Need Inclusive, 449.
26 David and Adebisi, ‘Proposed Model Hospital Community’, 544.
27 Woodyatt, ‘World Scrambling Buy Ventilators’, para 4.
28 Ezeh and Fonn, ‘Sub-Saharan Africa Plug Local’, para 6.
29 Razanamparany, ‘Madagascar’s Covid-Organics Born’, para 12.
30 Ceesay, ‘Assessing Impact COVID-19 Crisis’, 41.
31 Bitanihirwe and Ssewanyana, ‘Health Economic Burden Coronavirus’, 70–72.
32 Middendorf et al., ‘Smallholder Farmer Perceptions Impact’, 2.
33 Eberhard, Access to Water and Sanitation,13.
34 Renzaho, ‘Need Right Socio-Economic Cultural’, 6.
35 Verani et al., Social Distancing Policies, 2–3.
36 Mawby, ‘Community Safety Under Lockdown’, 306.
37 Verhagen et al., Unraveling Immediate Long-Term Effects, 22.
38 Kassegn and Endris, ‘Review Socio-Economic Impacts “Triple”’, 6.
39 Gondwe, Assessing Impact COVID-19, 3.
40 African Union, Impact Coronavirus (COVID-19) African, 5.
41 Pilling, ‘Africa Take Generation Recover’, para 1.
42 International Monetary Fund, Sub-Saharan Africa COVID-19 Unprecedented, 2.
43 International Monetary Fund, ‘Regional Economic Outlook Sub-Saharan’, 7.
44 Ibid, 18.
45 Niang and Taylor, ‘COVID-19’s Impact Social Divides’, para 4.
46 Renzaho, ‘Need Right Socio-Economic Cultural’, 6.
47 Oulepo, ‘COVID-19 Impact Africa Elections’, para 10.
48 Tengatenga et al., ‘Zimitsani Moto Understanding Malawi’, 8.
49 Casola, ‘COVID-19 Election Africa Democracy’, para 1.
50 Matlosa, ‘Elections Africa During COVID-19’, 164.
51 Butagira, ‘Securitising COVID-19 Uganda Rebel’, para 9.
52 Ibid, para 10.
53 The International IDEA, Global Overview COVID-19 Impact, para 1.
54 Haer and Demarest, ‘COVID-19 Africa Turning Health’, 3.
55 Palmer, ‘Fighting Plague Seventeenth-Century Italy’, 358–9.
56 Seabright et al. ‘Evaluating Social Contract Theory’, 6
57 ACLED, Ten Conflicts Worry 2020, 17.
58 Boko Haram, known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad), issued an hour-long audio message detailing its position on COVID-19. Its leader, Abu Bakr Shekau, portrayed the virus as divine punishment for the people for indulging in widespread fornication, sodomy, usury, and non-payment of mandatory charity (zakat). He also claimed that non-Muslims and hypocrites (Muslims who do not subscribe to the group’s exclusivist worldview) were using the disease outbreak as an excuse to prevent Muslims from practising their religious rites and to stop congregational prayers and pilgrimages to Mecca. The group condemned the precautionary measures by the authorities, such as the policies of closures and social distancing, as evil. The group also continues to claim that the Sambisa forests (the group’s stronghold in northern Nigeria) are a haven against the epidemic, which is, of course, propaganda to lure and recruit more young Nigerians. See: Bukarti, ‘How Boko Haram Responding’.
59 West, ‘Al-Shabaab Attacks Spike COVID-19’, para 4.
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Hamdy A. Hassan
Hamdy A. Hassan is a Professor of Political science at Zayed University. He is also a Co-chair of RC44 - Security, Conflict and Democratization, IPSA. He received his Ph.D. in Comparative Politics from Cairo University and Maryland University (1990). In 1999, Professor Hassan was granted the Egyptian State award in political science. His research focuses on African Politics, Conflict & Security Studies, Radicalization, and Islamic discourse. He has published many books and articles in both Arabic and English including his most important work: ‘Sufi Islamic Discourse in Africa: From the Greatest Jihad to the Establishment of the African Caliphate’, Religions 2020, 11, 639.