COVID-19, crises and fragility

Fragile contexts are beginning to be hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Most of these countries are insufficiently prepared to cope with the spread of the disease and its consequences across the multiple dimensions of fragility. The most vulnerable have difficulty in accessing hospitals and rely on poor public services. Confinement measures are hardly applicable and the mobilisation of security actors to enforce them creates further risks. The crisis highlights social inequalities and governance issues in many contexts. While the pandemic has created new peace dynamics, most conflicts continue unabated as peacekeeping missions and humanitarian response are extremely constrained. Recovering from the crisis will require international support, but public systems such as health should not be supported in isolation as these public services are not weak in isolation. Covid-19 emphasises the need to help countries address the drivers of fragility in a holistic manner and for long-term engagement.