Tag Archives: african countries

The growing US dollar weighs down on African economies

By Pitamber Kaushik As the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, continues to hike its lending rates aggressively in order to rein in persistent inflation, the stress exerted by the bulking US Dollar continues to send ripples throughout the world. Being the predominant medium of international exchange, serving as the world’s principal […]

Global Cities Report – Five strategic imperatives for city leaders

Last year’s edition of the Kearney Annual Global Cities report provided a revealing overview of urban centres amid the unprecedented public health catastrophe of the COVID-19 outbreak. A stark snapshot was painted of a volatile, increasingly fragmented environment characterized by fierce competition among cities for status, a situation acutely exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. “The […]

Increasing competition policy enforcement across Africa

By Angelo Tzarevski, Associate Director, and Zareenah Rasool, Candidate Attorney, Competition & Antitrust Practice, Baker McKenzie Johannesburg Competition policy continues to be viewed by regulators as a key driver of economic growth globally. Across Africa, competition policy enforcement is increasingly being employed as a tool to boost economic performance and promote the revitalization of trade […]

Successful Development In Africa

Economic Trends 2000-2020 by Dirk Bol March 2021 Introduction In this paper I intend to review Africa’s economic progress since the year 2000, so two decades. When I say Africa I mean  Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 47 to 49 countries excluding the five North African ones (but including Somalia without data and South Sudan with little […]

How Risk 360 technology is helping business security in Africa

In Africa, as in other parts of the world, Risk 360 is giving our customers real-time information to reduce the threats they face and optimise their resources. It’s taking our service beyond what our clients thought was possible, and helping to improve the international reputation for doing business in Africa. In a secure control room […]

African Countries Must Develop Strategic Fiscal Policies to Survive Oil and Gas Industry Changes on Horizon

NJ Ayuk

The future of the global oil and gas industry has been a subject of great fascination and debate for decades. Since COVID-19 surfaced, there has been even more conjecture on this topic and, in particular, the most likely timing for “peak oil,” when crude production reaches its maximum rate before going into permanent decline. Predictions […]

South Africa on a clear path to benefit from trade in manufactured goods with other African countries

View from the Carlton Centre, Africa's tallest building. Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Photo Credit: Adamina (www.flickr.com).

By Virusha Subban, Partner Specialising in Customs and Trade, Baker McKenzie Johannesburg President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined the country’s Economic Recovery Plan on Thursday 15 October 202o, during which he explained that South Africa  imported goods (excluding oil) are worth around ZAR1.1 trillion annually, and that if just 10% of these were manufactured locally, the country would add 2% to its Gross Domestic […]

Telemedicine in Africa as a concrete way to solve some problems

Telemedicine. Photo Credit: Edward Jenner (pexels.com)

Tools for innovation: mobile applications, medical specialized websites for medical personnel, scientists, and for educating people in the field of medicine, crowdfunding fundraising campaigns, mobile medical cars and other innovations The use of telemedicine can greatly help in solving the problems of medicine in African countries. The creation of special telemedicine websites within a specific […]

A company that knows how to make things look easy

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa Alcatel-Lucent has a success story to tell. Its stories, references and activities in Africa in 2012 is a lesson for many other organizations who what to make it big on the continent. In a recently published document Alcatel-Lucent shares references, successes, achievement and activities in Africa; as well as vision of African […]

A ten-year strategy to support the development of social protection systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

STORY HIGHLIGHTS Social protection, which comprises both social assistance and social insurance programs, is a powerful tool to reduce poverty and vulnerability The World Bank has a new 10-year strategy for social protection in Africa (2012-2022) The vision is to help governments build country-owned national social protection systems Social protection, once thought of as exclusive […]

DHL Global Connectedness Index shows signs of progress for Africa and others

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa The latest reports on African Connectedness are showing great things for the future. And African countries are showing the largest increases in their global connectedness, according to DHL. While recent announcements from Cape Town, South Africa reveal: •          The countries with the largest increases are Mozambique, Togo, Ghana, Guinea and Zambia •          […]

African Banking innovation sees AfDB approving multi-currency line of credit of USD 300m

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa The African Development Bank has extended the equivalent of USD 300 million to FirstRand Bank Limited to support projects across Africa This week an announcement from Tunis, Tunisia, revealed that the African Development Bank has approved a seven-year multi-currency line of credit for an amount equivalent to USD 300 million to FirstRand […]

Former President of the African Development Bank Babacar Ndiaye to lead Investment Day at this year’s AgriBusiness Forum.

African expert calls on everyone involved in agriculture to step up to the fore for the sake of the entire continent’s development and in the fight against poverty. 12th November 2012, Brussels, Belgium With the AgriBusiness Forum 2012 just around the corner, Babacar Ndiaye, former President of the African Development Bank and founder of the […]

Coface projections on SA, Africa and the global economy will have to be tested

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa Africa is best positioned to provide a thriving business environment, a leading International credit insurer attests. Coface has projected that by 2016, South African exports into Africa will increase significantly but will be offset by an equivalent drop in trade with Europe. The group also says that the will also be an […]

The 5th African Private Sector Forum gets underway under the theme “The Role of Private Sector in Promoting Investment and Agro-Industry in Africa”

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 6, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ – The 3 day 5th African Private Sector Forum was launched today in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire with strategic aims to promote investment and trade through partnerships and joint ventures between the African Union Commission’s (AUC) Member States, the Middle East and the world at large in […]

American Businessman Talks About Investment In Equatorial Guinea

More than 25,000 Americans Work in Equatorial Guinea Today MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, Nov., 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Investing in Equatorial Guinea is a flexible and friendly process, according to American businessman John James. In a recent interview with Focus Washington, John James, founder and chairman of JD James & Company, an advisory firm serving governments, government […]

Africa: Regional integration can boost FDI, experts at AEC say

KIGALI, Rwanda, November, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ – Experts at the ongoing African Economic Conference in Kigali today agreed that Africa would need to strengthen regional integration in order to boost increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on the continent, because it creates larger domestic markets and stimulates trade, two elements that can attract FDI. “At […]

Africa: Shared benefits require bold economic reforms

  The seventh African Economic Conference ended on November 2, 2012 in Kigali, Rwanda KIGALI, Rwanda, November 3, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ – Participants at the closing session of the seventh African Economic Conference (http://www.africaneconomicconference.org), on November 2, 2012 in Kigali, Rwanda, urged African leaders to put in place bold economic reforms, aimed at sustaining […]

Equatorial Guinea Gives US$30 Million To FAO For Food Aid In Africa

  Equatorial Guinea Gives US$30 Million To FAO For Food Aid In Africa Equatorial Guinea joins the fight to end hunger in Africa MALABO, Equatorial Guinea , Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Equatorial Guinea has offered US$30 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to assist African countries with food shortages and improve food security across the continent. The donation […]

Frost & Sullivan: Mobile Operators Reap the Benefits from Infrastructure Investment in Sub Saharan Africa

  Decline in retail price to push growth of voice and internet services CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Oct., 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Broadband penetration in African countries is significantly low, with a majority of countries recording penetration levels of less than 5%. This has had a considerable impact on internet usage levels in the region. African countries, […]

‘Sh’boom’ heralds launch of major new Standard Bank TV campaign

  Standard Bank has launched the next phase of its brand campaign “Moving Forward” including a major television commercial that captures key moments in world history, demonstrating progress and the positive emotion people feel when they move forward. The campaign, developed by the group’s advertising agency TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, will flight in South Africa and other African […]

World Bank Launches New Fund to Help African Countries Negotiate Best-Possible Deals for their Oil, Gas, and Minerals

PARIS, October, 2012―With new discoveries of oil, gas, and other minerals generating a wave of significant mineral wealth in African countries, the World Bank today launched a new fund to help countries on the continent level the playing field and ensure equitable deals in their natural resource contracts with international companies. With Africa holding 15% […]