On this edition of Africa 54, The United Nations Secretary-General says the lack of a global strategy to fight COVID-19, has allowed the deadly disease to spread; The UN estimates that 8% of the world’s population could be forced into poverty by year’s end due to coronavirus; Zambia’s ministry of finance to receive 145-million dollars from the U.S. and Britain to help fight COVID-19; World Food Program dispatches its first plane load of medical supplies bound for Burkina Faso.

A54 Entertainment: Senegalese jazz artist Alune Wade has one song for you to celebrate an especially jazzy week. Heather Maxwell brings us up to speed along with Kwame Ofori and 9 other acclaimed international jazz artists.