Gebreslassie Mulualem G
Center of Energy, Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle, Mekelle University Endayesus Main Campus, P.O. Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Energy Res Soc Sci. 2020 Oct;68:101677. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101677. Epub 2020 Jul 22.
As the COVID-19 pandemic gains ground in the African continent, it will create havoc and unprecedented health and economic crisis. The crisis has exposed the robustness and resilience of the economies and services such as health systems around the world and it is disaster in the making while the pandemic is spreading fast to the African continent. This is alarming mainly because the continent has weak health system compounded by low access to modern and reliable electricity. It is also anticipated that the crisis will be brought ample opportunities and the African governments and the people should make coordinated and concerted effort in developing conducive business environment and exploit the opportunities presented to facilitate energy access focusing on clean and renewable energy technologies. This is a big test for the continent and thus it will either brought prosperity through facilitating universal energy access by effectively utilizing the opportunities brought by the crisis or the lack of energy access will continue affecting communities the ability to improve their livelihoods.
随着新冠疫情在非洲大陆蔓延，它将造成严重破坏，并引发前所未有的健康和经济危机。这场危机暴露了世界各地经济和卫生系统等服务的稳健性和韧性，而疫情迅速蔓延至非洲大陆的同时，一场灾难正在形成。这令人担忧，主要是因为该大陆卫生系统薄弱，且获得现代可靠电力的机会有限。预计这场危机也将带来充足机遇，非洲各国政府和人民应共同作出协调一致的努力，营造有利的商业环境，利用所出现的机遇促进能源获取，重点关注清洁和可再生能源技术。这对非洲大陆而言是一场重大考验，因此，它要么通过有效利用危机带来的机遇促进普及能源获取从而实现繁荣，要么能源获取匮乏将继续影响社区改善生计的能力。
