Cairo, Egypt | AFP | IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Thursday that Egypt is going through a currency “crisis,” suggesting a quick devaluation to tackle a widening gap between the official and black market rates. Egypt has been struggling to shore up its foreign currency reserves in the political and …
Read More »Africa and the myths of FDI
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda Why foreign direct investment is overrated and why Africa needs to cultivate local businesses There is a fad in Africa. It is called Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Across our vast continent, foreign investors are the most treasured visitors. Practically every country is obsessed …
Read More »Protectionism a scourge? Maybe not in Africa
Washington, United States | AFP | World economic leaders gathered in Washington this week to defend globalization, delivering a single message in unison: Protectionism will not save you. But this glosses over the plight of Africa, which is sinking further into poverty despite years of free trade. According to the …
Read More »IMF: ‘Brain drain’ hits sub-Saharan Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Skilled workers are leaving sub-Saharan Africa in rapidly increasingly numbers, producing a “brain drain” that causes long-term social damage, the International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday. The IMF said that the number of sub-Saharan migrants living in developed countries could increase from about seven million …
Read More »IMF chief warns of weak growth, lure of protectionism
Chicago, United States | AFP | The head of the IMF on Wednesday renewed warnings against protectionism and trade restrictions, saying that the global economy risked prolonged low growth and that advanced economies faced painful inequality. Christine Lagarde, the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, said the current global recovery was …
Read More »IMF warns central banks could lose deflation fight
Washington, United States | AFP | The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that central banks are struggling to beat back deflationary forces and that governments need to spend to help them succeed. In a new assessment of global economic conditions, the IMF said many countries worldwide are battling disinflation …
Read More »Will Uganda achieve middle-income status in 5 years?
Achieving middle-income status in 5 years: Museveni’s latest politicking joke or a realistic national target? ANALYSIS: When President Yoweri Museveni took the oath of president for the sixth time on May 12 at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, he had one goal clearly on his mind: delivering Uganda to the …
Read More »Achieving middle-income status in 5 years
Museveni’s latest politicking joke or a realistic national target? When President Yoweri Museveni takes the oath of president for the sixth time on May 12 at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, it appears he will have one goal clearly on his mind: delivering Uganda to the middle income bracket by …
Read More »IMF hails Uganda on infrastructure development, inflation
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has hailed Uganda on infrastructure development as well as efforts to contain inflation amidst challenges of high exchange rates and fluctuating prices. In its latest report “Recent development’s and prospects, Uganda’s Economic Buffers”, the IMF says Uganda is relatively high on growth, low on inflation, …
Read More »Mozambique explains $1.4 bn hidden debt
Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique on Tuesday said most of $1.4 billion in previously hidden loans had been used to fund maritime security and shipyards, a week after the IMF suspended the country over the undisclosed sum. The Washington-based International Monetary Fund last Wednesday called off a staff mission …
Read More »