African economies grew by 3.9% GDP in 2014 amid global and regional shocks

African economies grew by 3.9% GDP in 2014 amid global and regional shocks

Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire (Capital Markets in Africa) — African economies registered 3.9% average GDP growth in 2014 compared to the 3.7% in 2013. This reflects resilience to global and regional shocks which affected the continent last year, according to the African Development Bank Group’s Annual Report, which was released Wednesday, May 27 in Abidjan. According to the report, despite the negative impacts of low commodity prices, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa as well as…

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Rwanda exports projected to grow by 6%

Rwanda exports projected to grow by 6%

The government projects exports to rise from US$723.1 million earned in 2014 to $764.4 million in 2015 a projected 6% growth for this year. “Last year’s export performance of 3% was because of the performance of tea and minerals which were affected by low commodity prices at the international market,” Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Amb. Claver Gatete said. “We project imports in value terms to increase by 7% in 2015 and declining by…

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Poking the Panda does not serve EAC

Poking the Panda does not serve EAC

The Tanzania government recently revealed that total Chinese investments in the country had surpassed $4 billion. China, the home of the Giant Panda, has indeed become a reliable ally in helping develop  several African countries. True, there maybe one or two differences here and there, especially when it comes to competing with local traders and industrial relations, but on the whole relations have not been too bad. More important, the Chinese continue to be generous…

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East African traders want barriers removed

East African traders want barriers removed

Kigali, Rwanda (Capital Markets in Africa):- East Africa’s private sector is pushing Rwanda and Tanzania to dismantle the remaining trade barriers according to the East African News. Importers and exporters alike say the barriers are negatively affecting the competitiveness of the Central Corridor by increasing transport costs as a result of delays. These sentiments were voiced recently at a round-table organised by Rwanda’s Ministry of East African Community Affairs about the removal of non-tariff barriers…

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Ethiopia predicts record $1.5B foreign direct investment in 2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Capital Markets in Africa):- Foreign direct investment into Ethiopia will reach a record $1.5bn this year, on the back of successful efforts by the fast-growing and populous African country to attract overseas manufacturing companies. Only seven years ago, the country with a population of 94m drew only $108.5m in inward investments from overseas. But it has been growing at double-digit rates, thanks to increased relocation of factories, attracted by low wages, cheap…

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Ugandan shilling weaker on central bank liquidity injection

Ugandan shilling weaker on central bank liquidity injection

KAMPALA (Reuters) – The Ugandan shilling eased on Tuesday, undermined by an injection of local currency into the market by the central bank and was seen trading with a bearish bias this week. At 0838 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,005/3,015, weaker than Monday’s close of 3,000/3,010.”There was liquidity tightness but the central bank injected shillings which has pushed the unit lower (weaker),” said David Bagambe, trader at Diamond Trust Bank Uganda. The…

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Angola’s sovereign fund allocates further $1.4 billion to Africa projects

Angola’s sovereign fund allocates further $1.4 billion to Africa projects

LONDON (Reuters) – Angola’s sovereign wealth fund said on Monday it was allocating $1.4 billion to five new vehicles that will invest in sectors such as mining, timber, agriculture and healthcare within the country and elsewhere in Africa. The Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA) said vehicles focused on mining, timber and agriculture will each have $250 million to invest, while a healthcare fund will have $400 million. A fifth Mezzanine Investment fund is being set…

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