Africa Economy

With its recently passed budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year, Egypt has established a revised set of ambitious targets for tackling its public expenditures. Having rebuffed aid offers from several international organisations and countries, the move is a sign that the country will steer clear of a rising budget deficit on its own accord.

South Africa’s economy is regaining momentum after a challenging few years that saw the country fall into recession in 2009 before slowly working its way back towards steady growth, though some underlying weaknesses will need to be addressed if expansion is to continue.

To help offset a rising budget deficit – amid falling foreign investment resulting from recent political upheaval – Egypt is looking for international funding. The economic effects of events of early 2011, though predictable, have prompted some short-term concerns over public financing.

Bien que la croissance marocaine ait enregistré un léger recul en 2010, lié en partie à une baisse de la production agricole, les 12 derniers mois ont été marqués par une reprise des marchés financiers. Couplée à une hausse de la demande en exportations et à une série de nouveaux plans d’investissement soutenus par le gouvernement, cette reprise annonce une croissance continue à moyen terme.

Looking to continue its trend of major capital expenditures, the Nigerian government is planning a debut international bond sale. However, the country’s debt portfolio has reached an all-time high, and some are cautioning that Nigeria scale back borrowing.