Gideon Mukui, Ph.D (Economics)’s Post

In light of the recent World Bank report on food inflation in Africa, highlighted by Business Insider Africa, addressing this critical issue is paramount for the continent's economic stability. Afrique Monitor International is at the forefront of showcasing Africa's potential and forging global connections. We are committed to leveraging such critical insights to promote international collaborations and sustainable growth throughout Africa. For a deeper understanding, you can read the full article [here](https://lnkd.in/eFt2t2ej).

Its interesting how interlinked global economies are: At one end, the slowdown in China is helpful for Pakistan as Oil prices go down. At the same time, it means that Pakistan exports to China can go down. Similarly, if the interest rate in Pakistan is lowered but not in other countries then hot money can go out of Pakistan hence can result in weakening of PKR. Yet the govt keeps on playing with uneducated masses by showing them only the variables which they can most easily control to win votes.

🌍 African economies continue to struggle with trade diversification, according to the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) SDG Pulse 2024. In 2022, Africa's export concentration index was the highest among developing regions, showing less export diversity. Many sub-Saharan African nations rely heavily on natural resource exports. Diversifying trade is crucial for economic stability and sustainable development. Find out more ⬇️: bit.ly/4ddC05s

The World Bank has cautioned that political instability and violence together with disruptions in global trade, especially in the Middle East, might intensify food insecurity challenges in Nigeria and other countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The disclosure was made known in the Global Economic Prospect report, where the World Bank offered insights into its economic outlook for 2024. According to the report, “An escalation of the conflict in the Middle East could exacerbate the situation in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries in terms of food insecurity. A conflict-induced sustained oil price spike would not only raise food prices by increasing production and transportation costs but could also disrupt supply chains, leading to less affordable food and an uptick in malnutrition rates in the region. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eupVgdNY

Visualizing the Top #Trading Partners of MENA Countries Due to its strategic location, vast energy reserves, strong economies, and complex political dynamics, the #MiddleEast and #NorthAfrica (MENA) region plays a critical role in global markets. In this graphic, we visualize the top trading partners of the MENA countries based on data from the International Monetary Fund (#IMF), as of October 2023. China: The Top Import Partner of MENA #China dominates as the top import supplier to MENA countries. The Asian country sent over $171 billion in goods to the region in 2022. #India is another crucial trading partner in the region, importing goods worth over $50 billion from the #UnitedArabEmirates, with over 40% of these imports comprising #petroleum products. #Italy, the leading exporter to #Tunisia, is another key player leading trade with Middle East and North Africa countries. In 2022, the country purchased over $28 billion from #Algeria and #Libya, primarily petroleum. Trade in the region is expected to increase, with some countries recently deciding to join the #BRICS. The addition of #SaudiArabia, #Egypt, #Iran, and the #UAE to the bloc represents over one trillion dollars in exports. Outlook for MENA Countries According to the IMF, growth in many economies in the Middle East is slowing due to tighter policies, #oil production cuts, geopolitical tensions, and other domestic challenges. The organization recently lowered the real GDP growth forecast for the region to 2.0% for 2023, compared to the 3.3% projected in April 2023. The IMF forecasts, however, that annual growth will accelerate to 3.4% in 2024 as some of these factors fade. https://lnkd.in/gsk9teVm #economy #markets #finance

According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, World real GDP slowed to 3.1% in 2023 from 3.5% in 2022. The slowdown affected advanced economies more than Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs). Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola, three of the region's largest economies, experienced a decrease in their growth rates. In the East African Community (EAC), growth declined to 5.0% in 2023 from 5.2% in 2022 due to commodity price fluctuations and budget challenges. Stay informed on economic and public policy updates by following CPA Joash Kosiba™. #EconomicUpdates #PublicPolicy #GDP #KenyaStatistics

Export performance is a key indicator of sustainable economic growth, especially for developing countries. Why has Pakistan's been deteriorating over the past two decades? Read Tabadlab's snapshot below, with policy recommendations from the World Bank, for a fuller picture. #ExportPerformance #PakistanExports #EconomicGrowth

In this post, we focus on how important #trade with countries outside the region is for each Med country, given the size of their economy. #Slovenia is the Med country that records the highest volume of trade in goods with countries outside the region relative to its #GDP. Compared to other countries in the #Mediterranean region, trade with non-Med countries is less important for countries at the lower end of the chart, given the size of their economies. Note: Analysis produced by Alma Economics based on the most recent data from the UN Comtrade and The World Bank databases. Values are shown for 2022, as a percentage of GDP and include trade only for goods. Due to a lack of available data, the latest available figures were used for #Libya (2019). #Syria and #Algeria were excluded from this analysis due to the unavailability of recent UN Comtrade data. For more information and to explore data relating to the Mediterranean, visit www.mgi.online

Increased trade within Africa could raise real GDP per capita and lift an estimated 30-50 million people out of extreme poverty. Read this F&D article by Jihad Azour and Abebe Aemro Selassie to learn more about African trade integration. ➡️ https://bit.ly/3EjzE5R

Many countries across Africa are experiencing an economic malaise. What began as a slump for commodity exporters in 2014 became a general slowdown with the shocks of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. But like Africa’s last “lost decade” in the 1980s, a moment of crisis could be an opportunity to set a different economic course.