Context
The worldwide crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose important health and socioeconomic challenges. Digital technologies and connectivity have provided important solutions to ensure the continuity of education and to strengthen health systems. This digital transformation for increased resilience however has not been self-evident everywhere, with the digital divide only becoming more apparent. As such this action aims to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern and Southern Africa by strengthening digital solutions to improve quality and continuation of education services; digital solutions that foster the continuity and quality of TVET services; digital solutions that foster the quality and efficiency of health services and systems.
Digital technologies and connectivity have provided important solutions to ensure the continuity of education and to strengthen health systems. This digital transformation for increased resilience however has not been self-evident everywhere, with the digital divide only becoming more apparent. In response to the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission and the High Representative announced an EU global response strategy to fight the pandemic in April 2020.
Digital solutions and COVID-19 response
Part of the EU COVID-19 emergency response is the Action “Resilience to COVID-19 through Digitalisation” (RESICODI). This Action is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and is jointly implemented by Enabel and GIZ in the context of the ‘Team Europe’ approach.
RESICODI aims to strengthen the resilience of education and health systems to COVID-19 in the Eastern, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region and focuses on three areas/specific objectives:
- Digital solutions to improve quality and continuation of education services are implelmented (GIZ).
- Digital solutions to foster the continuity and quality of technical and vocational education training (TVET) services are strengthened (Enabel)
- Digital solutions to foster the quality and efficiency of health services are improved (Enabel)
Approach
In a Team Europe spirit, GIZ and Enabel have joined forces to leverage existing projects to ensure an integrated and sustainable response to COVID-19. RESICODI thus builds on ongoing initiatives implemented by both agencies:
GIZ is building on the established BACKUP Initiative and its established demand-based fund approach to provide technical and financial support to African partners working on digital solutions for basic education services.
Enabel ties on existing projects to strengthen TVET and health services in selected partner countries.
Furthermore, GIZ and Enabel, are forming a cross sectorial network for peer-to-peer exchange and joint learning on digital solutions in education, TVET and health services. This way, partners can directly profit from these networks and the regional exchange. Partner countries are Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda and Zambia.
General objective
To mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Expected intermediate results:
- Use and adaptation of digital solutions (e.g. e-learning) and content
- Development of digital skills
- Access and connectivity
- Joint learning and exchange of good practices
Related links
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationazionale Zuzammenarbeit (GIZ)
- Project duration
- 1 Nov 2020 - 1 Apr 2023
- Project locations
- BotswanaBurundiDemocratic Republic of the CongoMadagascarMalawiNamibiaRwandaZambia
- Overall budget
- €11 500 000
- EU contribution
- €10 400 00090.4% of the overall budget