Africa
Expanded monetary union in West Africa
ARTICLE - In an article published in the IMF's quarterly magazine, IMF economists R.D. Asante and Paul Robert Masson talk with Jacqueline Irving of the IMF's external relations department about the pros and cons of expanded monetary union in West Africa.
Swazi banking system undergoes modernisation
SWAZILAND - Along with other countries of the Southern Africa Development Community, Swaziland is revamping its banking system up to international standards, Bank of Swaziland Governor Martin Dlamini said on Apr 6, 2001.
IMF articles on reform and restructuring in Asia
ARTICLES - The International Monetary Fund has published the March issue of its quarterly magazine Finance and Development. There are six articles on reform and restructuring in Asia. Other articles on the role of capital in development, the effect of…
Breaking the Cycle of World Poverty-Horst Koehler
Horst Kohler, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund gave a speech at the conference on "Child Poverty, Education, and Health" in London, February 26, 2001. He says he has learnt a lot from his discussions with sub-Saharan African leaders…
West Africa welcomes common monetary institute
The opening of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) is an onset of a credibility building process to create an acceptable common currency for member countries, local media reported on Feb. 1, 2001.
BCEAO calls for diversification of production base
The board of directors of the Central Bank of West African States or BCEAO has urged member states to further diversify their production bases, accelerate integration and the implementation of common sector policies within member countries.
Cameroon to go it alone with national bourse
Cameroon has announced the creation of a national stock exchange, just days after Central African leaders chose Libreville in Gabon rather than Cameroon's economic capital of Douala as the seat for a regional bourse.
Cote d'Ivoire urges UEMOA solidarity
Ivorian commerce and industry minister, Bohoun Bouabre, has called for greater cooperation among the eight-nation West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
US academic applauds S.Africa's monetary policy
A leading Harvard University academic endorsed the South African Reserve Bank's inflation targeting on Tuesday and said the country's monetary policy was in sound health.
Nigeria cenbank cuts lending rate to banks to 14%
The Central Bank of Nigeria announced on Thursday it had slashed its benchmark minimum rediscount rate (MRR) by 200 basis points to 14%, saying this reflected the low level of inflation in the West African country.
Mboweni says rand's fall due to external factors
The South African rand was pummelled Tuesday by external factors such as escalating tensions in the Middle East, dollar strength, the anticipated outcome of the US elections and a failure by the European Central Bank to intervene on behalf of the…
SARB maintains monetary stance
South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni Thursday said the central bank's current monetary policy stance would be maintained. This in line with most economists' expectations that interest rates would remain unchanged at the bank's six-weekly…
SARB gets new power on reserves
The South African parliament has given central bank governor Tito Mboweni anew lever of monetary policy, giving him the right to change the definitionof what type of money commercial banks must hold as reserves.