South Africa is looking to step up investment in its agriculture sector, in a bid to not only address unemployment and rural poverty but also to improve food security.
South Africa
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Economic update | South Africa: Year in Review 2011
16 Jan 2012
Having posted mixed results in 2011, South Africa’s economy was buoyed by rising demand for commodities and solid growth at home, while continued high unemployment, concerns over the European debt crisis and a slowdown in many of the country’s main trading markets saw a pessimistic close to the year.
The announcement in December that direct flights will soon link Beijing and Johannesburg was a fitting end to a year that has seen South Africa-China trade ties rise past expectations.
Insurance sector leaders in South Africa are hopeful the country will not be too deeply impacted by the deepening debt crisis in Europe, with many policy writers expressing cautious optimism as the new year gets underway. The implementation of EU financial norms and a national health insurance scheme could prompt some changes in the sector in 2012.
Economic update | South Africa: Policy for growth
6 Dec 2011
South Africa has unveiled a blueprint for economic recovery, with increased funding to support industry, job creation and a much-needed boost for infrastructure, although marginal rises in inflation and exogenous instability may hamper the ability of the government to provide any immediate palliatives.
South Africa’s construction sector appears to have been one of the big winners from the recently-released budget plan, following the ministry of finance’s announcement of a massive increase in spending on infrastructure and housing, although the industry will still need to overcome shortages of both human resources and materials as well as concerns over the government’s timely execution of capital projects.