COVID-19 poses supply chain dilemma for East Africa

Significance

Kenya and Tanzania, whose ports are the main gateways into the region, offer a critical trade conduit for their landlocked neighbours. However, rising COVID-19 caseloads in both countries -- and Tanzania’s laissez-faire approach to the virus -- are aggravating regional tensions as the virus tracks trade across borders.

Impacts

• The entire region is vulnerable to global economic shocks, but small, landlocked nations will be especially exposed to trade bottlenecks.
• Supply chain issues will greatly exacerbate food insecurity, which is already under threat from a locust plague and major floods.
• Kenya-Tanzania tensions may rise, as differences over containing COVID-19 graft on to longstanding trade competition.