Business Finance

Egypt, IMF ink $3bn new loan program deal

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday it had agreed a $3 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) over 46 months with Egypt, Reuters reports. The deal is part of a four-year international financing program worth a total of $9 billion which also includes $1 billion from the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) and […]

Business Finance

World’s worst-performing currencies: Ghana’s cedi, as Nigeria’s naira, SA’s rand also struggle

Ghana’s cedi slumped over the last three days to become the world’s worst-performing currency this year as investors continued to squeeze foreign capital into the West African country. The currency of the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer depreciated as much as 3.3%, which took its losses this year to more than 45%, the most among 148 […]

Business Emerging Markets

Pandemic aftershocks, Russia’s war in Ukraine dimming prospects for African trade

The effects from the COVID-19 pandemic aftershocks and the Ukrainian crisis have led to rising commodity prices, surging inflation, and shifts in the global financial situation that have transformed African trade and production capabilities, according to the latest figures published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). After over-performing in its post-pandemic recovery in 2021, Africa’s […]

Business Finance

Living on the edge in sub-Saharan Africa — IMF report

Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic activity is expected to slow significantly in 2022 and remain relatively modest in 2023 and looking ahead, the outlook remains highly uncertain, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa. A downturn in advanced economies and emerging markets, tighter financial conditions, and volatile commodity prices, […]

Energy

Zambia in talks with Saudi Arabia to secure “cheap oil”

Zambia had launched talks with Saudi Arabia to secure “cheap oil” supplies, while also seeking support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Zambian Minister of Energy Peter Kapala noted an attempt at a deal with Saudi Arabia by the previous government, but said there was a change of approach. Rather than buying the petroleum goods […]

Business Finance

Africa’s crypto challenges: crackdown, ban or regulation in wake of rising scams

Despite rising interest all across the continent, trade in cryptocurrencies remains banned — in part due to concern about soaring losses arising from crypto scams — by most African governments save for the Central African Republic (CAR). The latest Chainalysis report indicates that losses arising from cryptocurrency scams rose by 60% in the first seven […]

Business Emerging Markets Finance International

Inflation could “inflame social tensions”, warns IMF

The global economic outlook is “darkening”, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday, citing the war in Ukraine and the “commodity price shocks” it has caused among the main reasons. The IMF plans to publish later this month “a further downgrade” to its growth forecasts “for both 2022 and 2023”, […]

Business Finance Headlines Tunisia

World Bank lends Tunisia $400m for social reforms

The World Bank Tuesday announced the intent to provide $400 million to Tunisia in view of backing social reforms. Ferid Belhaj, World Bank Vice President for Middle East and North Africa, made the announcement to Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Bouden during a visit. The World Bank official also indicated that the US-based institution will help […]

Business Finance Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia turns to domestic banks to fund national budget over lack of foreign lending

The Tunisian government has been mounting pressure on local financial institutions to fund the 2022 national budget as the country struggles to land foreign loans to close the project’s $2.8 billion budget deficit. The move is revealed by Ahmed El Karm, member of the executive board of Tunisia-based independent think-tank Institut Arabe des Chefs d’Entreprises […]

Business Finance Headlines Tunisia

Saudi Arabia conditions credit line to Tunisia on IMF’s demands

Saudi Arabia is willing to provide Tunisia a financial facility to support the 2022 state budget but provided that the North African country meets the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a restructuring plan, Business News reports. Malek Zahi, Tunisian Minister of Social Affairs, who was in the Gulf country last week for […]