Guess Who Outperforms World in Coronavirus Mayhem
Africa is the biggest economic and financial surprise in these perilous times.
A mobile phone factory in Uganda.
Photographer: Luke Dray/Getty Images EuropeObscured by the myriad stories of coronavirus global devastation are three headlines from the continent with no shortage of epidemics, man-made and natural disasters. That would be Africa. Of its 54 countries, six are among the top 10 fastest-growing economies in the world this year. The continent is the favorite bazaar for appreciating equity after Eastern Europe and has one of the stock market's best-performing industries: communications.
Africa finds itself with fewer Covid-19 cases than other heavily populated regions. Even after testing almost tripled to 1.2 million, the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said the continent's percentage is relatively small. Africa has the largest percentage of youth in the world, a higher average temperature and relatively more people outdoors most of the time, according to an April 28 report in the Financial Times.
