Gearing up for the new normal: Kenya's tourism sector before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper adopts Leiper's ([1990]. Tourist attraction systems. Annals of Tourism Research, 17(3), 367–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(90)90004-B) tourism system theory to examine the impact of COVID-19 on Kenya's tourism sector. The authors argue that tourism remains an important source of national revenue in Kenya and the severe negative effects of the pandemic as well as the resulting government measures to curb the spread of the disease threaten to undermine the gains made in recent years to revive the sector. The paper identifies that while much emphasis has been put on the impact of the disease on countries' national health systems and its epidemiology, few studies have been conducted to examine the relationship between COVID 19 and the tourism sector, especially in developing countries. The paper provides researchers and practitioners with an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the social and economic dimensions of tourism in Kenya and concludes with a set of recommendations that can shape Kenya's post-pandemic tourism sector recovery plans.

Urban green spaces in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic: reflections from Nairobi, Kenya.

This paper seeks to examine how the perception and use of Nairobi's urban green spaces (UGS) have been impacted by the Covid- 19 pandemic. The question of how the current pandemic and the resulting government policies will affect urban green spaces has remained elusive. Similarly, the relationship between public health crises and urban green spaces has not been well integrated in the current literature. This paper identifies a nexus between government response to the Covid-19 pandemic and (Un) sustainability of UGS. The authors further reflect on the potential role UGS could play to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic. Findings of the study show that UGS in Nairobi have not been fully exploited to provide citizens with sufficient access to green spaces yet as the pandemic has shown these spaces could significantly improve physical and mental health for the citizens as well as act as logistical areas for humanitarian activities during a pandemic. The paper therefore concludes with policy recommendations that can give rise to short and long term reforms in the provision and management of UGS.

The Geopolitics of Renewable Energy Transition in Eastern Africa

This paper focuses on the nexus between geopolitics and renewable energy in Eastern Africa. It sets out to explore the potential geopolitical implications of the transition to renewable energy in the region. The authors observe that there is increasing attention to renewable energy sources (wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, etc.) in the region with potential social, political and economic impacts. Existing literature on the region has focused on the relationship between energy and conflict as well as challenges in accessing energy. However, there is a gap in the literature, theory, and systematic framework with regard to the implications of renewable energy transition for the geopolitics in the region. The authors analyze existing academic publications, government reports, and other relevant publications to draw the relationship between geopolitics and renewable energy transition in the region. The study concludes that the geopolitical benefits of renewable energy in the region far outweigh the risks, and recommends increased adoption of renewable energy given the region’s vast resources, which can support the increased renewable energy transition and contribute to the fight against climate change.

Sub-Sahara Africa and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflecting on Challenges and Recovery Opportunities

How has Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) experienced the COVID-19 pandemic? This article seeks to examine the challenges faced by a region that was earlier expected to be the epicenter of the pandemic. The study identifies three critical stages that pose challenges for governments and development partners operating in SSA trying to avoid mass infections and the subsequent negative socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. First, the article begins by examining the challenges experienced in restraining the spread of COVID-19 such as the lack of adequate resources and technology to effectively pursue contact tracing, the dilemma of implementing lockdowns, and the impact of fake news. Second, the article looks at the challenges arising from technical and capacity elements of testing, treatment, and the development and access to vaccines. Finally, the study examines the potential obstacles to a smooth post-COVID-19 recovery. The author argues that although some positive actions have been taken by governments in SSA during the pandemic, the challenges that are emerging as a result of the direct and indirect impacts of the disease cannot be overlooked. The authors therefore offer several recommendations that can guide policy responses against pandemics in the short and long-run.

Healthcare services utilization among international students in Ankara, Turkey: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: While international students form an increasing population of higher education students in Turkey, there is limited empirical evidence about their health services utilization. The study aim was to investigate healthcare access among a group of international students studying in Ankara city and identify potential barriers that affect full healthcare utilization. METHOD: A total of 535 international students from 83 countries completed an online-based questionnaire. The survey was conducted from September until October 2020. Variables between groups within the study sample were compared using ANOVA and Chi-square tests (with Fisher's exact test). Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between variables related to access to health services. RESULTS: Of the study population, 80.6% accessed the general practitioner (GP), 40% accessed the student health centres, and 11.4% were admitted to the hospital at least once. About 80% of international students reported changing their views to access healthcare more because of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Lack of awareness of healthcare support systems, perceived stigma associated with mental health services, and language barriers were the main barriers affecting healthcare access by international students. IMPLICATIONS: Study findings indicate the need for education of international students on available healthcare, targeted health promotion, and training of health providers on effective communication.

Policy and research frame of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: reflections on urban informality.

How has the informality of urban slums exposed a gap in policy formulation and research questions in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic? This paper seeks to identify the appropriate questions and policy frame that would assist future researchers and policymakers on the subject of pandemics in densely populated urban settlements. The authors argue that the nexus between asking the appropriate questions and developing appropriate policy response measures during a pandemic can significantly impact the outcome of the response. The paper examines how the government of Kenya's response to the COVID-19 pandemic reveals a deep-rooted socio-economic and cultural inequality when "blanket" policies are adopted without taking into consideration the unique dynamics characterizing the society. The findings show that the effectiveness of implementing COVID-19 containment policies such as lockdowns, the cession of movement, working from home, distance learning, and social distancing are affected by other factors such as the nature of jobs, one's income levels, where someone lives, cultural beliefs, access to water, sanitation, internet, and medical facilities. This means that a significant number of people within the society experience a double tragedy from the pandemic and impact of government response measures. Yet most of the existing literature has focused on the causes, spread, and impact of the pandemic on health institutions, economies, and public health with little emphasis on the impact on policy measures especially on the vulnerable segments of the society. This paper, therefore, looks at the question of how the various public health intervention strategies disrupt or construct the livelihood of the already complex informal settlement. It provides policymakers and researchers with a number of questions that can frame policy and research during a pandemic with important consideration to urban informality.

How urban 'informality' can inform response to COVID-19: a research agenda for the future.

In the era of increasingly defined ontological insecurity and uncertainty driven by the ravages of COVID-19, urban informal settlement has emerged as a source of resilience. Indeed, the effects of a pandemic transcends its epidemiological characteristics to political economy and societal resilience. If resilience is the capacity of a system to adapt successfully to significant challenges that threaten the function or development of the human society, then ontological insecurity is about the lack of such capacity. Drawing on Keith Hartian's understanding of 'informality' of spaces, this policy brief attempts to identify and frame a research agenda for the future. The agenda would assist future researchers and policymakers provide responses that appropriately recognize groups and actors that define the urban informal space.

Not the Time to Take Chances! Why African Governments' Response to COVID 19 Matters.

Since independence, African governments have been criticized for either their slow, ineffective, or lack of homegrown solutions when addressing challenges in their respective countries. From economic and development models to dealing with conflicts, governance practices, and planning, overreliance and dependence on external practices which sometimes fail to take into consideration the unique domestic challenges have characterized the response of many African governments. This has, in turn, tainted the image of the continent over their ability to adequately deal with disasters. As the rest of the world is struggling to deal with their share of challenges as a result of the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly important that every country adopts measures that will effectively deal with the spread of the disease. This essay seeks to step back from the seemingly crowded debate over where the next epicentre of COVID 19 will be in Africa and focus on what lessons and measures governments in Africa can adopt during and after the pandemic.

COVID-19 experience among slum dwellers in Nairobi: A double tragedy or useful lesson for public health reforms?

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the socio-economic and health dimensions of many societies across the world. For those in urban informal settlements, direct and indirect negative impacts of the pandemic and the resulting government policies have had devastating consequences on their livelihood. As the virus continues to spread rapidly, the more popular measures such as curfews, lockdown, and working from home have overlooked the fate of slum dwellers, who are left to choose between life and livelihood. This article examines the unique challenges people in informal settlements are facing during the pandemic. It focuses on the city of Nairobi, which has several informal settlements where more than 4?million people reside. The authors note that a combination of systematic marginalization, poor policies, and inadequate planning has left millions of people in Nairobi vulnerable to the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article concludes that as the virus continues to spread rapidly and the emerging socio-economic challenges undermine government?s capacity to respond to the crisis, support from other stakeholders such as social workers may have a positive impact.