South Africa Graft Ombudsman Proposes Changes to SARB Objective

South Africa Graft Ombudsman Proposes Changes to SARB Objective

JOHANESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s graft ombudsman has suggested changes to the nation’s constitution to amend the Reserve Bank’s primary objective of protecting the value of the currency. The chairman of parliament’s justice committee should start a process to change the law’s section 224 that sets out the central bank’s primary objective, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane said in a report handed to reporters in the capital, Pretoria, on Monday. The proposed amendments remove the…

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Ethiopian Air Said to Plan $3 Billion Deal for Airbus A350s

Ethiopian Air Said to Plan $3 Billion Deal for Airbus A350s

ADDIS ABABA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ethiopian Airlines Enterprise plans to buy 10 of Airbus SE’s newest A350 wide-body jets in a transaction worth more than $3 billion at advertised prices, according to people familiar with the plan. The deal is set to be announced this week at the Paris Air Show, according to the people, who asked not to be named as the order negotiations are private. Ethiopian will take the mid-sized A350-900 version of the plane,…

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Barclays Africa Faces $88 Million Payout to State Over Bankorp

Barclays Africa Faces $88 Million Payout to State Over Bankorp

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barclays Africa Group Limited, the South African lender formerly known as Absa, may have to pay the government an amount equivalent to 8 percent of its annual profit after the country’s anti-graft ombudsman said the bank unduly benefited from state support when it bought ailing Bankorp before the end of apartheid. “The illegal gift granted to Bankorp and Absa is in the amount of 1.125 billion rand,” Public Protector Busisiwe…

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Uganda Cuts Key Rate to Record Low to Boost Sluggish Growth

Uganda Cuts Key Rate to Record Low to Boost Sluggish Growth

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Uganda’s central bank reduced its benchmark rate to the lowest since it was introduced in 2011 to boost an economy that’s projected to grow at the slowest pace in four years. The Monetary Policy Committee cut the key rate by 100 basis points to 10 percent, Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile told reporters Monday in the capital, Kampala. The central bank has reduced the rate by 700 basis points since the start of last…

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South African Airways May Test State Guarantees, Opposition Says

South African Airways May Test State Guarantees, Opposition Says

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African Airways, the country’s state-owned airline, may be close to calling in 19.1 billion rand ($1.5 billion) in government debt guarantees after missing loan repayment dates, according to the Democratic Alliance, an opposition political party. The airline, which hasn’t made a profit since 2011, has 8.9 billion rand of debt payable in the 2018 fiscal year, the DA said, citing data from parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance. SAA…

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Increase in Mali Attacks Shows Need for Regional Force, UN Says

Increase in Mali Attacks Shows Need for Regional Force, UN Says

BAMAKO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Insecurity is spreading in Mali and across its borders as the number of militant attacks rose and new armed groups emerged over the past year, underscoring the need for military cooperation in West Africa, according to the United Nations Secretary General. Violent extremists carried out 201 attacks against the Malian security forces, UN peacekeepers and French troops since June last year, compared to 165 assaults in the previous 12…

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Nigeria May End Multiple Naira Rates in Quest for Inflows

Nigeria May End Multiple Naira Rates in Quest for Inflows

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria will end a system of multiple exchange rates that has deterred investment in its stocks and bonds, according to the head of the country’s main currency-trading platform. The central bank and Lagos-based FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange are taking a “phased approach toward a single foreign-exchange market,” according to Bola Onadele. “There is opportunity for convergence and there is no better time for it,” Onadele, also known as Koko, said…

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