Browsing: African Export-Import Bank

The pan-African payments infrastructure was commissioned after a successful pilot phase in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) countries where live transactions were done instantly.

Afreximbank worked with the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI) to launch the system in the WAMZ.

Following this successful milestone, PAPSS is now engaged in advanced discussions with other national and regional institutions for its rapid expansion across the continent.…

AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene notes that a uniform payments platform will eliminate the costly process on converting currencies which contributes to the inefficient trade patterns on the continent.

In addition to this good news, the Covid-19 pandemic was a silver lining for Africa’s integration since the continent has to create its own solutions to its problems. As such, Africa needs not only to harmonise its financial systems but also step up productive and infrastructural integration.…

Creative industries are a job multiplier in Africa and generate US$4.2bn in revenue across the continent. …

The trade finance gap remains unacceptably high at US$81 billion as of 2019.…

The trade agreement aspires to create a tariff-free continent to grow local businesses, boost intra-African trade, spur industrialization and create more jobs.…

On March 13, 2020, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) warned that the covid-19 coronavirus crisis could seriously dent Africa’s already stagnant growth.

Oil-exporting nations could lose up to US$ 65 billion in revenues as crude oil prices continue to tumble. Having already strongly hit Africa’s major trading partner, China, covid-19 was inevitably impacting Africa’s trade.

ECA Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe, said: “Africa may lose half of its GDP with growth falling from 3.2 per cent to about 2 per cent due to a number of reasons which include the disruption of global supply chains.”

She added that the continent’s interconnectedness to affected economies of the European Union, China and the United States was causing ripple effects.

US$3-billion facility

Songwe said that Africa would need up to US$ 10.6 billion in unanticipated increases in health spending to curtail the virus from spreading, while on the other hand revenue losses could …

The African Economic Outlook 2020 report prepared by the African Development Bank was praised at the 33rd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa for being an effective blueprint for addressing Africa’s human capacity gap.

The 2020 report, under the theme Developing Africa’s workforce of the future, was presented at a side event attended by civil society, policymakers, global and regional development organizations, the media and academia.

“The facts mentioned in the second part of this report are striking. It reminds us of the size of the investment that must be made in the development of human capital in Africa, an essential component for achieving productive transformation,” said Victor Harison, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs.

Also Read: African Economic Outlook indicates steady growth through 2021

The African Economic Outlook has become the blueprint for planning and for sound economic research about Africa said the Secretary-General of the African Development …

President Vladimir Putin hosted the first-ever Russia-Africa summit Wednesday and Thursday in the latest display of Moscow’s efforts to restore its geopolitical foothold on the continent after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Amid a deluge of memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements, Russia clinched a series of trade agreements with some of the 55 African countries represented at the summit in Sochi.

Below is a list of military, energy and other deals made between Russia and African countries at the inaugural summit:

Military and politics:

— Russia signed a contract to supply 12 Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters to Nigeria.

— Overall, Russia plans to send $4 billion worth of weapons to African countries in 2019, the state arms exporter said.

— Putin said Russia wrote off $20 billion of African countries’ debts that had accumulated during Soviet times.

— Putin has signalled readiness to help stabilize conflicts in …