Africa
Soft-dollar pegs not optimal in Sub-Saharan Africa: IMF paper
Fund study says soft peg to dollar increases macroeconomic instability in Sub-Sahara African countries
Fitch reports bright future for Sub-Saharan Africa
Rating agency investigations says outlook for the region is brighter than it has been for decades
Stronger property rights can help alleviate poverty: IMF paper
Fund study says stronger property rights can lead to greater financial deepening in sub-Saharan countries
OECD and South Africa to set up first African sovereign debt management centre
New centre will train African government officials in managing sovereign debt and set up a government debt database for the region
Uganda’s Kasekende on benefits of African cooperation
Bank of Uganda deputy governor Louis Kasekende says stronger cooperation in African region will enable countries to exploit growth opportunities
Interview: Mahamudu Bawumia
Former Bank of Ghana deputy governor discusses the economic and monetary policy challenges facing Ghana and Africa
Financial sector deepening crucial for Africa: ex-Ghana deputy
Former Bank of Ghana deputy governor Mahamudu Bawumia says bringing financial services to rural populations is key
IMF: East African countries have divergent financial barriers
Fund study finds more advanced members of East African Community have lower financial barriers than others
Microfinance not a silver bullet for Africa: Nigeria, Ghana governors
Nigerian governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Ghanaian chief Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur say credit issuance is constrained by factors other than just access; requires deeper change
IMF: Sub-Saharan banks are cost efficient
Fund study on Sub-Saharan Africa finds banks in the region are cost efficient, but can do better if regulation is improved
Kenya: Bank Supervision Annual Report 2009
Kenya’s Supervision Annual Report 2009 shows the banking sector in Kenya grew by 14% despite global slump
IMF: Larger long-term credit facilities needed in WAEMU
IMF study shows more investment in longer term projects in West African Union countries will enhance returns
Ndung’u calls for new reforms in MFI scheme
Kenyan governor Ndung’u draws up plans to enhance MFI’s incorporation
How Africa’s bond markets can continue to progress
The impressive growth of debt markets in sub-Saharan Africa is a credit to the region’s authorities. But more can be done, writes Paul-Harry Aithnard, the group head of research at Ecobank
Middle East and North Africa’s trade below potential
International Monetary Fund looks at trade constraints in the region
Africa mostly sheltered from remittances drop
International Monetary Fund looks at the impact of the global economic crisis on African GDP via the remittance channel
Oman signs up to new FX, payments system
Central Bank of Oman’s move represents part of a broader trend by emerging-market central banks to refine operational systems
Zambia’s Fundanga: region to upgrade regulation
Bank of Zambia’s Caleb Fundanga says Eastern and Southern Africa’s regulation must adapt to complex cross-border financial institutions and move to consolidated supervision
How financial markets in Africa develop
International Monetary Fund research makes an empirical examination of the determinants of financial market in Africa, looking particularly at banking systems and stock markets
Angola says no devaluation in sight
Central Bank of Angola’s deputy governor says the central bank will withstand “speculative drive” to devalue the kwanza
Basel Committee expands membership
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision on Wednesday expanded its membership to include all G20 countries.
Institutions matter in financial development
The gap in financial development between the countries of the CFA franc zone and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa can be explained by differences in institutional quality, new research from the International Monetary Fund reveals.
Uganda's Tumusiime-Mutebile: more aid needed
Multilateral institutions could assist African economies by providing balance of payments support as well as structural adjustment loans for countries dependent on primary commodity exports, said Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, the governor of the Bank of…
Sub-Saharan Africa faces severe slump, IMF warns
The International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday that economies in sub-Saharan Africa were facing a "severe downturn" and called for a strong public-policy response both domestically and internationally.