Trade in both goods and services will play a key role in overcoming the pandemic and limiting its health and economic impact, especially on the poor. The main purpose of this note is to highlight the opportunities and potential benefits for African countries from coordinated measures on trade in response to the COVID19 epidemic. Trade contributes by providing countries access to essential medical goods (including material inputs for their production) and services to help contain the pandemic and treat those affected; ensuring access to food, maintaining and enhancing nutritional intake of the poor which will boost immune systems and contribute to the ability to resist the virus; providing farmers with necessary inputs (seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, equipment, veterinary products) for the next harvest; and supporting jobs and maintaining economic activity in the face of a global recession, disruption to regional and global value chains, and reduced employment and increased poverty.
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