Economy

The new government has targeted post-electoral stability with pledges to tame the budget deficit, boost infrastructure and curb expenditure. However, Papua New Guinea’s (PNG’s) opposition says Port Moresby’s plan to accept a large loan from China is an early misstep on the path to long-term growth.

Some of the heat seems to be going out of the Qatari economy, as the rate of expansion is expected to ease back to single figures over the next few years. However, the more modest growth forecast by analysts will still place the country among the global leaders.

Officials remain confident of solid economic growth this year, although there are concerns that domestic and regional unrest will leave the kingdom falling short of its objectives for 2012.

South Africa’s economic performance is a mixed bag, depending on what sectors and what indicators are under scrutiny. The country, which accounts for roughly a quarter of Africa’s total GDP, has seen a rise in select industries, a drop in inflation, increased government spending and modest improvements in consumer sentiment, but is still grappling with labour unrest and underwhelming export demand.

Les recettes provenant du tourisme, et des investissements directs à l'étranger (IDE), reprennent en Tunisie. Dans le même temps, plusieurs indicateurs économiques se sont améliorés au cours de la deuxième moitié de l’année 2012. En dépit de la pression sur les finances publiques due au niveau élevé de dépenses et d’investissements à l’heure actuelle, les autorités sont optimistes quant au retour de la croissance économique en 2012.

The government has announced plans to increase allocations to a key investment fund although there are still questions on how this move will affect state spending at home. The decision to strengthen the investment fund comes at a time when the government is also seeking to boost the domestic economy through its latest five-year National Development Plan (NDP).