Business Daily (Nairobi)

Africa: Economists Seek Solutions to Continent's New Challenges

Leading economists from across Africa are meeting in Nairobi to discuss the continent's economy.

The meeting, which will draw government policy makers and central bank governors, comes at a time when the continent is facing a daunting task as a result of the global economic crisis.

The full effect of the crisis is yet to be quantified and their long term effect noted.

The African economy is undergoing one of its biggest challenges in years as the global economic crisis bears its weight on the bristle economies of the continent.

The aftershock of the crisis that originated in the US and Europe has dragged down African economies which were on a trajectory of growth.

African economies are under grave challenges as the achievements of the past decade are likely to be eroded. In addition, the threat is likely to weaken exports, reduce remittances flow and earnings from tourism, and lead to a decline in foreign direct investment (FDI).

Global rising prices for primary commodities have been the driving factor for many African economies which recorded resurgence growth.

The conference, to kick off on Thursday, is organised by the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) a Pan-African research think tank, in conjunction with the Global Development Network (GDN), and Overseas Development Institute (ODI).

Economic crisis

The conference, which is the 31st plenary session to be held by the AERC, will focus on Central Banking in a changing African Environment.

"The conference is a network of African leading economic researchers who will focus on critical economic issues and how to inform policy makers," said an official of AERC who sought anonymity as he is not the official spokesperson for the organisation.

According to the official, the conference to be attended by 200 economists, will look at emerging issues facing Africa such as plummeting prices for primary commodities, falling remittances and how to address new challenges brought about by the global economic crisis.

The shift of African economies to market driven economies have resulted in opening up to foreign investments.

The participation of investors in sectors such as capital market, exploration of natural resources has led to tremendous growth.

However this has led to emerging challenges such as dependency on single or few commodities for export, flow of hot funds into emerging equity markets and lack of value addition on locally produce hence low market value.

For instance Zambia economy has suffered a severe recession as the global prices of copper its principle export plummeted.

However, Africa oil producing countries went through the recession with minimal effects as high oil prices enabled them to continue receiving foreign exchange.

Tagged: Africa, Business

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  • upliftdarace_144
    Dec 15 2009, 07:29

    HeyNow Afrikan Family !

    On Afrikans Investing In Technology , Afrikans abroad & In Afrika

    Should Invest In The Technologies around the world And Have It

    Shipped To Afrika With The Know-How To Do It Ourselves.. We

    SHOULD NOT just allow countries to come into our countries and build

    and settle on our lands. If you will allow a stranger to run your country,

    Then you will allow then to run your state. If you will allow a stranger to run your state,

    then you will allow them to run your city, your neighborhood, your home, your family,

    yourself.. We Black Afrikans will be free , when we stop selling ourselves !!!!!!!

    America (The Whore Of Babylon) Is Trying To Re-vive it'as dying

    soul via other ASIANS & CAUC - ASIANS , But Prophecy Is

    Pronounced :

    And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of

    the south(AMERICA / BABYLON ): ALSO the ROBBERS OF OUR

    PEOPLE shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; BUT

    THEY SHALL FALL ! [Daniel 11:14 ]

    ATTENTION AFRIKA , you have 300 million citizens spread

    abroad that need your help getting back to our roots. While you

    are looking to countries like America & China to uplift Afrika, Many

    of us Black Afrikans spread abroad are proficient in a lot of useful

    technologies. Here is a brief synopsis of some of the inventions

    that Black Americans have produced. So please help us to get

    home.

    BLACK AFRICAN INVENTORS AND THEIR INVENTIONS

    * Sarah Boone - IRONING BOARD - April 26, 1892

    * John A. Burr - LAWN MOWER

    * Marie V. Brittan Brown - HOME SECURITY SYSTEM - Dec 2, 1969

    * Buridge & Marshman - TYPEWRITER

    * George Carruthers - X-RAY MACHINE

    * George Washington Carver - PEANUT BUTTER - PAINTS – PAINT STAINS – ETC

    * W.A. Dietz - SHOE

    * P.B. Downing - POSTAL LETTER BOX

    * Charles R. Drew - BLOOD PLASMA STORAGE SYSTEM

    * T. Elkins - TOILET (COMMODE)

    * Robert Flemming Jr. - GUITAR

    * George F. Grant - GOLF TEE

    * J. Gregory - MOTOR

    * Michael Harney - LANTERN

    * Augustus Jackson - ICE CREAM

    * B.F. Jackson - GAS BURNER

    * H.A. Jackson - KITCHEN TABLE

    * Ruane Jeter - DIGITAL TOASTER - April 14, 1987

    * Isaac R. Johnson - BICYCLE FRAME

    * John A. Johnson - WRENCH

    * P. Johnson - EYE PROTECTOR (GOGGLES)

    * W. Johnson - EGG BEATER

    * Frederick M. Jones - DEFROSTER - REFRIGERATION CONTROLS – AIR CONDITIONER

    * Jones & Long - BOTTLE CAPS

    * John H. Jordan - CLOTHES DRESSER

    * Mary B. Kenner - SANITARY BELT (TAMPONS) - May 15, 1956

    * Mary B. Kenner - BATHROOM TISSUE HOLDER - Nov 19, 1982

    * Mary B. Kenner - BACKWASHER ( BATHTUB OR SHOWER MOUNTED) - July 29,1987

    * Lewis Latimer & Nichols - ELECTIC LAMP

    * W.A. Lavalette - PRINTING PRESS

    * Maurice W. Lee PRESSURE COOKER

    * A.L. Lewis - WINDOW CLEANER

    * John L. Love - PENCIL SHARPENER

    * Tony J. Marshall - FIRE EXTINGUISHER

    * Alexander Miles - ELEVATOR

    * Jan E. Matzeliger - SHOE LASTING MACHINE

    * W.A. Martin - LOCK

    * Garrett A. Morgan - GAS MASK - Traffic Signal

    * Lydia Newman - HAIR BRUSH - Nov 15, 1898

    * Alice H. Parker - HEATING FURNACE - Dec 23, 1919

    * J.F. Pickering - AIR SHIP (BLIMP)

    * Purdy & Sadgwar - FOLDING CHAIR

    * W.B. Purvis - FOUNTAIN PEN

    * L.P. Ray - DUST PAN

    * W.H. Richardson - BABY BUGGY

    * G.T. Sampson - CLOTHES DRYER

    * .W. Smith - LAWN SPRINKLER

    * J. Standard - REFRIGERATOR

    * T.W. Stewart - MOP

    * Paul E. Williams - HELICOPTER

    * Granville T. Woods - Roller Coaster

    * Thanks to The Black Inventors Museum *

    * Address : P.O. Box 76128 - Los Angeles , Calif. (90076)

    * Phone (310) 859-4602)

    * Director : Ghanaian Mr. Hamza Salifa

    AND

    ONE AFRICA TOURS & SPECIALTY SERVICES LTD.

    * Major Contributor of Information : SEESTAH Imahkus Nzinga Ababio Okofo

    [ http://www.oneafricaghana.com/ ]

    P. O. Box CC 1251 - Cape Coast

    Ghana - West Africa

    What can you do to help us ?

    Start with contacting Pan-Afrikanist organizations like BLACK

    STAR MEDIA (Modelled after Marcus Garvey’s Vision For Afrika) : They are at

    [ www.libradio.net ]. The CEO of BLACK STAR MEDIA is Keidi-Obi

    Awadu. He has been on the frontline fighting for our freedom for

    over 30 years.

    It's Not A Question Of Other Learned Societies.

    It's The INFERIORITY COMPLEX WE HAVE TO SHED

    St. Paul In A Letter To The Christians In Rome Said :

    " For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is

    among you, NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY Than

    He Ought To Think; but to think soberly, according AS GOD HAS

    D EALT TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH .

    We All Should Think Highly Of Ourselves, Keeping In Our Mind

    That God Gave Us Dominion Over The Earth

    , NOT EACH OTHER. !!!!!!!!

    So let's please help us to return to our Mama Afrika as Israel

    under Moses escaped their exile !!!!!!!

    [Check Out :

    WHO BROUGHT THE SLAVES TO AMERICA ?

    [ http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/42787621/Who+brought+the+slaves+to+ameri ca?tab=summary]

    for full length video

    FRITZ SPRINGMEIER A Bold Christian Truthseeker The Top 13 Illuminati Bloodlines

    [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k73Q2_f4vKU ]

    WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS !

    [ www.libradio.net ]

    [ www.gcnlive.com]

    - Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ] :