The Corona-Virus Pandemic and its Impacts on Human Security in West Africa

Abstract

The outbreak of the novel corona-virus pandemic across the globe has presented itself as a global crisis which calls for urgent global attention. The viral spread of the virus in different continents remains an overall concern to public health and for human security. This article discusses the impacts of the corona-virus pandemic on human security in West Africa. It argues that the realities from the spread of the virus have created an atmosphere of panic resulting in a pandemonium across West Africa. The study reveals that the spread of corona-virus comes along with new emerging threats to peace and security in West Africa. The paper upholds the 1994 Human Development initiative from the reports of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to discuss essential dimensions to human security in West Africa. Through the use of secondary data, the paper argues that the impacts of COVID-19 tramples upon various dimensions of human security across West Africa states ranging from economic, health, political, community, environmental, and food security. The studies envisage that public health issues should be included on the top agenda of international organizations like the UN Security Council, Africa Union, and ECOWAS respectively. It concludes that the impacts of the pandemic will recalibrate the socio-political and economic structure of states within the sub-region. The study recommends that greater supports from states within the region and other regional institutions alike will help a great deal in the fight towards eliminating the virus from the region.