Africa Economy

The world’s largest producer of cocoa, Côte d’Ivoire is an ethnically, linguistically and religiously diverse West African nation with a rich culture. Once one of Africa’s leading economic powerhouses, the country was afflicted by civil war for much of the past 10 years, including extended unrest following elections in late 2010. However, peace...

Following years of crisis, Côte d’Ivoire has been eager to recapture its former crown as the most dynamic economy in West Africa, and with the benefits of both stability and headline growth, the prospects are encouraging. After decades of chronic under-investment by the public and private sectors alike, much of Côte d’Ivoire’s economic fabric and...

Côte d’Ivoire has seen an encouraging turnaround in diplomatic relations with a variety of partners. In the first decade of this century ties between the central government (for much of the decade the north was under rebel rule) and the West became strained, and the regime in Abidjan was increasingly isolated, both regionally and internationally...

Useful information for visitors to South Africa

Landlocked, small in size, and highly urbanised, Gauteng lacks the natural assets and scenic beauty to vie with the country’s flagship leisure destinations of Cape Town, Durban and the wildlife safaris of the Kruger National Park. Nonetheless, tourism is viewed as a key enabler towards job creation and also plays a role in exposing the province...

Accounting for 40.6% of South Africa’s manufacturing base, the performance and challenges facing manufacturers in Gauteng reflect those of the country as a whole. The industrial sector is feeling the strain of several factors impeding its growth prospects, including reduced demand due to the global slowdown; squeezed margins due to rising...