Responding to COVID-19 through International Linkages: Lessons from the Lake Region Economic Bloc

Nelson Otieno Okeyo

Summary

LREB has offered a good test case for lessons on COVID-19 response owing to its unique but comparable model of inter-SNGs cooperation, the strategic location of some LREB Counties bordering other East African countries as gateways to the world, and its vulnerability to COVID-19. LREB, just like other SNGs in Africa, was adversely affected by the unilateral decisions of the Central Government’s COVID-19 response. Despite its challenges, LREB has ridden on its not-so-restrictive governing framework to recognise the indispensability of paradiplomacy and to showcase magnificent glimpses of international linkages in its COVID-19 response activities. This policy brief highlights the main finding that the sustainability of the linkages is still a concern for such otherwise promising arrangements. This brief recommends that in the future, African SNGS like LREB should revamp and enhance international visibility, information sharing and consultation with the Central Governments, financial independence, and efficient budgeting efforts to ensure sustainable international linkages.

Introduction

The Euro Cities network recently reported that Frankfurt donated 10,000 Euros to Milan to assist the latter in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This interaction emanates from a twin city arrangement between both cities. One example from across the world demonstrates how sub-national Governments (SNGs) are leveraging their international partnerships and utilising paradiplomacy in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar interactions have occurred in Africa, a continent less featured in the literature on paradiplomacy and sub-national foreign relations. Focusing on The Lake Regional Economic Bloc (LREB), this policy brief aims to highlight the utility of international linkages and partnerships by African sub-national governments in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overview of COVID-19 and response in LREB

Kenya operates a two-levelled governance system of one Central Government and 47 County Governments. Based on Kenya’s constitutional dispensation allowing inter-county cooperation, Kenyan County Governments have been organising themselves into regional cooperation blocs. LREB is one bloc that brings together 14 Counties in the Western part of Kenya that borders Tanzania and Uganda (i.e. Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia and Vihiga Counties). Under the LREB Agreement 2018, domesticated into an Act of constituent County Assemblies, LREB was formed to widen and enhance cooperation among the Member Counties in economic, industrial, social, technological and research fields for their mutual benefit. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck Kenya, there was concern about transboundary movement through the LREB counties without testing. The Central Government responded to the pandemic by procuring COVID-19 vaccines and personal protective equipment centrally through the Kenya Medical Suppliers Agency. They also adopted a raft of measures, including travel restrictions, declaration of lockdown limitation of social, congressional and political gatherings, decisions on social distancing, wearing of masks and social distancing: all these initiatives, especially lockdowns, impacted operations in the counties. As of 9th June 2021, there were 25 106 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections in the LREB counties accounting for 14.6 per cent of the 172,491 confirmed cases nationally.

The irony of the Central Government’s response activities is that they were mostly unilateral despite seriously impacting the County Governments. This further impeded the momentum of SNGs’ quest for partnership to boost their response to the pandemic. On their part, LREB counties undertook specific activities such as developing a COVID-19 Economic and Social Re-Engineering Recovery Strategy for Counties in Kenya. Under the Strategy, the counties noted that lessons from the COVID-19 response in Kenya brought to the fore the need for international linkages and regional bloc synergies by Counties in response to future pandemics.  Secondly, LREB established the COVID-19 Resource Mobilization and Advisory Committee, comprised of persons with the capacity and links to mobilise funds and provide advisory work on COVID-19 response in 2020.

International linkages: LREB’s Response to COVID-19

The existing framework for the operation of LREB shows glimpses of how it can utilise international linkages in response to COVID-19 and other activities. Article 176(2) of the Kenyan Constitution allows the decentralisation of government functions to the extent that they are efficient and practicable. To this end, a County Governor and County Public Service Board of LREB counties have international law obligations under sections 30(2)(c) and 59(4)(d) of the County Governments Act 2012 No. 17 of 2012 (CGA). Under section 6(3) of CGA, LREB Counties can partner with any public or private organisation. All these are supported by the power of the counties under sections 6(1) and (2) of the CGA to contract to be a corporate body. Also, the LREB Agreement recognises that LREB may source funds, grants, donations, projects and technical assistance. International bodies can give these grants. 

The above framework regulating the organisation and operations of county governments and LREB cannot expressly be passed as a basis for international linkages. However, going by the principle of equal licet non-expressis verbis prohibits, one can argue that it is allowed since it is not expressly prohibited.

Against the backdrop of the legal and institutional framework in which LREB counties operate, LREB Counties have utilised international linkages in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as follows:

1. LREB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Vision to build resource mobilisation and empowerment capacity in COVID-19 prevention measures.

2. LREB has partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on a 2020-2022 project to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 in the LREB counties of Kisumu and Migori.

3. Situating the FAO/United Nations-funded project for Kenya's COVID-19 Medium Term Programme Framework in Kisumu County.

Prospects of Greater Internationalization in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the context of international linkages, the following are key findings:

1. The post-COVID-19 economic and Social Re-Engineering Recovery Strategy for LREB counties 2020/2021- 2022/2023 recognises international partnerships and collaboration by LREB counties in the COVID-19 response as indispensable. LREB Governors have expressed their intention to work to create direct imports of COVID-19 vaccines.

2. LREB and similar blocs in Kenya and Africa offer synergy within and outside the continent. For example, it was comparatively easier for FAO to launch a project at LREB than to deal with LREB Counties separately.

3. There are challenges since there is an incomplete County Connectivity Project; LREB is yet to fully tap into the international networks of the COVID-19 response Committee; and the LREB Blueprint and Agreement do not adequately provide a robust framework for strategic partnerships necessary for the COVID-19 response.
   

Recommendations

1. African inter-SNG cooperation blocs such as LREB should harness mechanisms for cooperation, information-sharing, and effective consultation with the Central Government to reduce scepticism and unfounded fears of threats to political autonomy, which often cripple the paradiplomatic activities of SNGs in Africa.

2. The African SNGs and inter-SNGs cooperation organs, such as LREB, should deliberately organise strategic participation in international conferences and events to improve their international visibility necessary for practical cooperation and linkages with foreign SNGs. 

3. Blueprints, Agreements and legislations that establish blocs similar to the LREB should address specific steps on preparedness for future global and national pandemics. Already, policymakers and legislators across Africa can leverage existing political will formally expressed in County COVID-19 Re-Engineering and Recovery Strategy 2020/21-2022/23 and similar strategic agreements across Africa. 

4. Policy-making organs of SNGs in Africa, such as the LREB Council, should recognise and prioritise strategic planning on global networking regarding their identified pillars of cooperation beyond the health sector. 

5. SNGs in Africa should ensure financial sustainability and independence through efficient budgeting, among others, in the face of inadequate funding by Central Governments

Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the financial incentive offered by the African Paradiplomacy Network.