COVID-19 significant effect on global international economic relations

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to reach the augment of COVID-19 effects on international economic relations. The globe has become a cohesive economic community with interdependence being fuelled by rising economies and the need to exchange technical know-how, goods and services. Globalization has turned the world into one unit with diversified limbs that work in tandem with each other, for instance the lesser the lesser developed countries need raw material to sustain their industries. Now because of the unforeseen emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, social, political and economic modes of interaction have been obstructed normally to curb the spread of the virus which has claimed lives in the hundreds of thousands to millions.This in turn has hindered in some cases brought to a halt certain areas of the economy both internationally and nationally. Economic relations have been stunned by the introduction of COVID-19 measures like travel bans, limiting interactions between individuals and groups and limited time of operations for essential services. A desktop review analysis was used as the research methodology. Data collection methods that were used included observations, focus group discussions and interviews. The targeted population included international, statutory and non-statutory organizations in Zimbabwe. Findings from the study concluded that closure of borders during the COVID-19 pandemic affected imports and exports of trade, COVID-19 led to the loss of labour though massive deaths and quarantine measures and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on oil dependent counties was severe.` Recommendations from the research affirm that governments and regional organisations should reunite in the global context so as to face pandemics, policy makers should implement effective policies which address economic relations between countries and countries should better prepare for such threats like COVID-19 to economic relations and trade through enhancing technologies.