12 °c
London
Saturday, August 20, 2022
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
No Result
View All Result
Home AfCFTA

Africa’s defiant economic growth despite global slowdown

FurtherAfrica by FurtherAfrica
June 30, 2019
in AfCFTA, Africa, Legislation, Trade
Reading Time: 3 mins read
838 8
0
What the African Continental Free Trade Area is all about
Share via QRWhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterLinkedInPinteresteMail

Africa defied global economic slowdown becoming the fastest growing region

Africa’s output grew by 3.4 per cent between 2017 and 2018 despite the slowdown in global growth during that period. A new report by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) shows that Africa’s total merchandise trade in 2018 had a value of over USD997.9 billion.

On the same note, the continent remained one of the fastest growing regions in the world during that time. The African Trade Report 2019: African Trade in a Digital World was launched in Moscow last week during the 26th Afreximbank Annual Meetings.

Trade wars and tariffs between the United States, China

Global merchandise trade grew by 3 per cent in 2018, down from 4.6 per cent in 2017 according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) estimates.

According to The African Trade Report 2019, the findings highlight the resilience of Africa’s economies to global volatility at a time of rising uncertainty, escalating trade wars and tariffs between the United States, China and others.

The resilience reflects the diversification of Africa’s trading partners in the context of South-South trade, growing fixed investment and public and private consumption, boosted by expanding urban populations and softening inflation.

These factors reduce Africa’s exposure to the business cycles associated with individual countries and regions.

African trade with the South grew significantly over the last decade to account for more than 35 per cent of the continent’s total trade in 2018.

The report notes that the European Union remained Africa’s main continental trading partner in 2018 accounting for 29.8 per cent of total trade.

China and India further consolidated their positions as Africa’s first and second single largest trading partners, accounting for over 21 per cent of total African trade in 2018.

Intra-African trade also increased steadily in 2018, growing by 17 per cent to reach $159 billion.

The report highlights that Africa has the potential to do more, noting that its contribution to global trade remains marginal at 2.6 per cent, up from 2.4 per cent in 2017.

Digitalisation paving way for a new African economy

Noteworthy is that while intra-African trade rose to 16 per cent in 2018 from 5 per cent in 1980, it remains low compared to intra-regional trade in Europe and Asia.

The report states that ongoing digitalisation is paving the way for a new African economy, with e-commerce platforms and internet penetration expediting transactions, reducing costs and leading to a new generation of transnational digital consumers.

The report urges African governments to further capitalise on the opportunities associated with digitalisation, by bolstering regulatory environments and supporting the development of digital ecosystems.

Afreximbank President Prof Benedict Oramah said: “It is vital that Africa grasps the economic growth opportunities flowing from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), growing domestic demand and population and our ever-closer investment and trading links with emerging partners in the South.”

“We must exert concerted action to ensure that we develop, industrialize and diversify our industries and supporting infrastructure to foster regional integration and participate fully in regional and global value chains,” he added.

Digitalization, the reports states, can unlock Africa’s potential in driving economic development and the integration of African countries into the world economy. It can also reduce the region’s dependency on raw commodities and natural resources by helping economies diversify into more value-added products that can enhance extra-and intra-African trade.

Chief Economist and report author, Dr Hippolyte Fofack, said, “Intra-African trade, which grew by 17 per cent in 2018, more than three times the rate of growth of extra-African trade, was the major driver of Africa’s total merchandise trade in 2018.”

Afreximbank banking on Africa

Riding on future prospects for the continent, Afreximbank has laid out plans to provide seed capital to African companies by rolling out the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA).

FEDA will implement the Bank’s Equity Investment Programme by providing seed capital to companies in Afreximbank’s key focus sectors.

These sectors include agri-business, manufacturing, consumer and retail, financial services, technology, travel and tourism, transport and logistics and industrial parks. It will invest across all market segments but will have its greatest focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Last year, Afreximbank established its USD29 million regional headquarters in Uganda after it failed to set up shop in Kenya. The bank has served other parts of Africa with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria and Cairo Egypt.

Its branch in Abidjan, Ivory Coast was opened around the same period they would have opened their East African branch in Kenya.

Its presence in the diverse economies has been recording great performances with their vast array of services.

Source: The Exchange

Related

Tags: AfCTAAfreximbankafricaAfrican Continental Free Trade AgreementAfrican Export-Import BankchinaEuropean UnionFeatureHippolyte FofackSouth to SouthTrade warsUnited StatesWorld Trade OrganisationWTOафрикаأفريقياアフリカ非洲
ScanSendShare338Tweet212Share59Pin76Send
FurtherAfrica

FurtherAfrica

Founded in 2015 FurtherAfrica is an online platform centralising news and content focusing on the development and growth story of the African continent.

Related Posts

Agriculture

Botswana’s 2022 cereal production at above-average level: FAO

by Farmers Review Africa
August 19, 2022
Angola: Family farming should be specialized – Economist
Trade

Angola agricultural potential of Huila attracts Namibian investor

by FurtherAfrica
August 19, 2022
Energy

South Africa’s Tiger Brands to roll out solar power at manufacturing sites

by FurtherAfrica
August 19, 2022
Islamic Banking survived pandemic-induced crash thus good for Africa
Finance

IsDB reaffirms cooperation with Mozambique

by Emmanuel Chilamphuma
August 19, 2022
Venture Capital

Nigeria Pastel platform raises US$5.5M seed

by TechGist Africa
August 19, 2022
Angola Oil & Gas 2022
 
AFSIC 2022
 
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
 
MozParks

Translate this page

Read the Latest

Agriculture

Botswana’s 2022 cereal production at above-average level: FAO

by Farmers Review Africa
August 19, 2022
0

Harvesting of the 2022 main season cereal crops in Botswana, consisting mostly of maize and sorghum, was completed in June....

Read more
Angola: Family farming should be specialized – Economist

Angola agricultural potential of Huila attracts Namibian investor

August 19, 2022

South Africa’s Tiger Brands to roll out solar power at manufacturing sites

August 19, 2022
Islamic Banking survived pandemic-induced crash thus good for Africa

IsDB reaffirms cooperation with Mozambique

August 19, 2022

Nigeria Pastel platform raises US$5.5M seed

August 19, 2022

FurtherAfrica Partners Network

The Exchange Club of Mozambique Taarifa Rwanda
TechGist Africa Africa Oil & Power Farmers Review Africa
Tanzania Invest Zambia Invest See Africa Today
Africa Global Funds Novafrica CrudeMix Africa
Harambee Africa Botswana unplugged Financial Insights Zambia
Digilogic Africa Web3Africa

Subscribe to FurtherAfrica

Enter your email address to receive new articles on your email.

Join 100,542 other subscribers.

FurtherAfrica

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

FurtherAfrica is a FurtherMarkets Limited platform

  • Countries
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
 

Loading Comments...