This brief explores the secondary impacts of COVID-19 in fragile settings. Specifically, the brief focuses on the closing civic space because of restrictions associated with COVID-19. It finds that measures implemented to curtail the virus, have also been instrumentalized by state actors to suppress opposition groups, suspended elements of election processes and provided armed groups with space to intensify their activities. Importantly for UNDP, it highlights that not only did COVID-19 create new grievances it also amplified existing tensions.