The Impact of COVID-19 on State-Society Relations in North Africa

COVID-19 has not hit North Africa as violently as it did in the case of Europe and the United States. In spite of the limited numbers, national governments and local authorities in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia have adopted strict measures that have had significant consequences on civil and human rights. Furthermore, the pandemic economic consequences will be devastating in the short-to-medium term for the already cash-strapped North African countries, posing a major threat to the fragile social contracts between the state and society.

Summary report of the virtual expert briefing entitled “The Impact of COVID-19 on State-Society Relations in North Africa”, organised on 28 May 2020 by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI).