Economy | - Part 36

Mauritania’s Growth Prospects Dependent on Reforms – IMF Says

MAURITANIA (Capital Markets in Africa) – The International Monetary Fund indicated that Mauritania’s economy has been recovering, as real GDP growth accelerated from 1.8% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2017 due to improved terms of trade and strong activity in the agriculture, manufacturing, transport and telecommunications sectors. But it projected growth to slow down slightly to 3% in 2018, as a result of the delayed impact of last year’s drought on the agriculture industry. The IMF, also considered the …

Higher Uganda Budget Gap to Dent 2018-19 Fiscal Plan, IMF Says

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KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Uganda’s policy of keeping debt at “safe levels” will be “challenging” in the coming fiscal year because of a higher-than-envisaged budget deficit, the International Monetary Fund said. East Africa’s third-biggest economy will need to “scrutinize very carefully new borrowing initiatives” in the 12 months through June next year in the wake of an expanded deficit, Clara Mira, the IMF resident representative in Uganda, said in a text message. Prudent borrowing will help…

IMF Sees `Prominent’ Downside Risks to South Africa’s Outlook

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Downside risks to South Africa’s economic outlook are “prominent,” with spending pressures and a higher public-wage bill potentially raising financing costs and damping growth, the International Monetary Fund said. “Fiscal consolidation is needed to strengthen public finances,” the Washington-based lender said in an emailed statement Tuesday after concluding a visit to the nation with the continent’s most-industrialized economy. While steps announced in the February budget are a move in the right…

Budget Delays Cast Doubt on Nigeria Economic Growth Promises

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria’s promise of a pickup in growth, investment and jobs ahead of next year’s election is getting trickier to achieve because of a political stalemate over its record budget. Government forecasts of 3.5 percent economic expansion this year are partly premised on a yet-to-be-signed accord worth 9.1 trillion naira ($25.2 billion) that will increase spending on power, roads and ports. Budgets in Muhammadu Buhari’s first democratic term have been delayed for…

Moody’s downgrades Gabon’s ratings to Caa1, changes outlook to stable

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LIBREVILLE (Capital Markets in Africa )- Moody’s Investors Service has today downgraded the Government of Gabon’s issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa1 from B3 and changed the outlook to stable from negative. The rating downgrade is underpinned by continuing government arrears to creditors and suppliers which point to heightened government liquidity pressures and denote institutional weaknesses. Persistent arrears also risk delaying critical financial support from the official sector, in turn exacerbating existing liquidity…

Africa Debt Servicing Costs Surge and Changes in Government Financing

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – S&P Global Ratings indicated that the debt-servicing costs of 11 out of 17 rated Sub-Saharan African (SSA) sovereigns that are under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative have increased significantly since 2011. The HIPC, which is an initiative of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund mainly, is a debt-relief program for countries that are unable to service their debt. The agency said that the initiative reduced…

Moody’s Changes Cameroon’s Outlook To Negative, Affirms B2 Rating

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YAOUNDE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) has changed the outlook on the Government of Cameroon’s issuer local and foreign currency ratings to negative from stable and affirmed the B2 ratings. The decision to change the outlook to negative reflects a rising likelihood that Cameroon’s fiscal strength will continue to weaken due to persistent spending pressures to fund its infrastructure investment program to support growth. Recent fiscal overruns and weak financial health…

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