Second quarter GDP (Botswana) seen weakening

An article published by the Sunday Standard Newspaper (Botswana), 25th July 2011. The article reports that Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to weaken in second quarter of the year as effects of the suspended public sector strike filter into the economy. This observation is based on the Quarterly Economic Bulletin released by Motswedi Securities, a local stockbroking firm. Click here to access the article or here to access the bulletin.

The SADC Region and EPA/EBAI - Trade Balance Analysis

The paper investigates the potential trade balance outcomes of the EPA/EBAI policies in the SADC region using the GTAP7 model and database. The analysis of these policies therefore makes conclusions on SADC member states' changes in trade balance overall, per commudity's groups and on overall welfare outcomes as a result of these poicies. The study found that although the EPA/EBAI initiative policies will potentially result in overall welfare gain in the SADC region this welfare gain will only be 6% of the EU27. Click here to access the full report.

SACU averts near collapse

An article published by the Mmegi Newspaper (Botswana), 5th July 2011. The article posits that had the recommendations of an Australian consultant - which would have cost Botswana and two other SACU states billions of Pula in annual revenue - been passed, the century old customs union is likely to have collapsed, that is, according to senior officials. Click here to read more.

World Economic Outlook Update: Mild Slowdown of the Global Expansion, and Increasing Risks

The IMF June 2011 World Economic Outlook Update shows that activity is slowing down temporarily, and downside risks have increased again. The global expansion remains unbalanced. Growth in many advanced economies is still weak, considering the depth of the recession. In addition, the mild slowdown observed in the second quarter of 2011 is not reassuring. Growth in most emerging and developing economies continues to be strong. Overall, the global economy expanded at an annualized rate of 4.3 percent in the first quarter, and forecasts for 2011–12 are broadly unchanged, with offsetting changes across various economies. Click here for more..

Implementing the APRM: Views From Civil Society - South Africa Report (June 2011)

This report was published by the South african Institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) and reflects the views of civil society researchers and activists convened by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the implementaion of the APRM in South Africa. It takes as supplementary reference points South Africa's Implementation Reports (SAIRs). The report intends to complement the two SAIRs by providing evidence based feedback on how the issues in the Country Review Report have been addressed since 2007. Click here for the full report.

Growth and Macroeconomic Convergence in Southern Africa

This African Developement Bank Working Paper No 130 (June 2011) investigates convergence in real per capita GDP and macroeconomic policy and stability indicators within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Empirical tests for the period 1992-2009 showed no evidence of absolute beta and sigma convergence in real per capita GDP among the SADC economies. Although absence of convergence does not necessarily imply lack of economic growth, further empirical assessment of possible conditional beta convergence did not reveal any tendency of convergence to own steady states. The tests indicated that Botswana and South Africa's real per capita GDP converged to a common stochastic trend while the rest were characterised by a boundless drift. Click here for the full paper.

Botswana's Success: Good Governance, Good Policies, Good Luck

Over the past 60 years Botswana's economy has been recorded as one of the most succesful in the world. The country's achievement is remarkable because at independence, in 1966, its prospects were not that encouraging. Although the country is landlocked, it has defied the odds by creating a succesful economy. Click here to access this book chapter.

Source: Yes, Africa Can: Success Stories From a Dynamic Continent; Edited by Punam Chuhan-Pole and Manka Angwafo, and published by the World Bank, Washington DC, 2011. The full publication is available  here.