So far, Africa appears to have been spared the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus is certainly spreading more slowly across that continent than elsewhere in the world. 

On The Agenda with Stephen Cole this week, we examine exactly why that might be, as well as considering what the economic effect will be on a continent where trade has been increasing and poverty falling for the last decade.

Is a lack of testing masking the true extent of the problem? Or did the lessons learned from other disease outbreaks like Ebola mean Africa was more prepared for the coronavirus?

Joining from Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo is the World Health Organization's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, who says that Africa's case numbers are under-reported.

And the Overseas Development Institute's Dirk Willem te Velde tells Stephen about the economic impact of COVID-19 on sub-Saharan Africa – and what richer countries like the UK, U.S. and China should be doing to help.