Africa
Zambia holds rates despite double-digit inflation
Governor says inflation will decelerate faster than expected despite being three times target rate
Asset purchase programmes prevalent among advanced economies
But just 17% of emerging market economies said they operate a purchase programme
Bank of Ghana wins legal case against ‘corrupt’ firm
Central bank says it uncovered bribery and a corrupt tender process during investigation
IMF urges Bank of Sierra Leone to investigate cash shortages
Recent banknote shipment failed to alleviate shortage, fund says
Third parties often develop RTGS technology
Seventy-one percent of respondents said the technology underpinning their RTGS system was developed solely by a third party or in collaboration with the central bank
Uganda’s growth unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024
Central bank governor says tourism sector has been hit by Covid containment measures
Liberia’s central bank expands monetary policy committee
Governor and deputy governor reappointed
Malawi launches corporate social investment policy
Policy will see central bank embark on projects supporting society
South Africa’s new crypto framework: ‘neither hostile nor friendly’
Risk-based approach will bring crypto operations within South Africa’s regulatory perimeter
Most central banks communicate in at least two languages
Central banks must weigh challenge of translating sensitive messages against reach
Recipe for a chief (fin)tech officer
Private-sector experience, a knowledge of supervision and a zest for innovation are key ingredients for a chief fintech officer
Email top for internal central bank communications
In-house platforms, events and seminars also widely used
Somalia’s governor on rebuilding its central bank
Governor Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi discusses reviving Somalia’s war-damaged economy, re-creating a payments system, and dealing with remittances
South African Reserve Bank: the first 100 years
Central bankers and academics reflect on a tumultuous first century for Africa’s oldest central bank
Monitoring tools critical to measuring comms effectiveness
Facebook and YouTube remain most popular social media options, but some central banks are experimenting with others
Vast majority of central banks provide communications training
Social media, writing skills and public speaking emerged as key areas
Sarb celebrates centenary with virtual ceremony
Tributes were paid by former governors, regional central bank representatives and the heads of the IMF and BIS
Academics miss out on central bank background briefings
After journalists, private sector analysts are offered briefings most often
Fintech communication is most challenging for central banks
Central banks view fintech as greatest challenge, but rate monetary policy communication highly
Bank of Ghana launches local gold-buying programme
Central bank aims to double gold reserves over the next five years and support local mining industry
Uganda’s central bank cuts rates to historic lows
Uncertainty around the future path of Covid-19 weighs on growth prospects, governor says
Monetary policy must be climate-friendly, Bank of Ghana official says
It is ‘paramount’ for central banks to incorporate climate risks into monetary policy, official says
The winners of the 2021 FinTech RegTech Global Awards
Fourth annual tech awards recognise excellence among central banks and the firms they work with
Sarb paper questions assumption that government debt is low risk
Banks may need to reduce exposure to sovereign debt instruments as fiscal risk rises