Djibouti Economic Research Highlights

Economic News & Views on Africa

Capacity expansion supports Djibouti’s efforts to realise its green power potential

OBG

plus

Efforts in Djibouti to increase energy capacity and accelerate the shift from hydrocarbons to renewables moved forwards in September 2023 with the inauguration of the Ghoubet wind farm.

Ali Boumediene, CEO, Bomare

On boosting Algeria’s potential to export technology to new markets

African gas suppliers look to meet Europe’s future LNG demand

OBG

plus

As the EU works to rebalance its gas supply away from Russia, African countries are expected to gain a larger share of the bloc’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) market in the coming years. Last month the EU announced that it would launch the first tenders for joint gas purchases in April, with contracts expected to be signed by June. This novel approach seeks to leverage the bloc’s purchasing power to secure supplies at lower prices ahead of the summer when EU countries are expected to refill their underground gas storage...

Ismail Ersahin, Executive Director, World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA)

On leveraging economic zones to bolster development

Global CEO Survey: What is on the horizon for emerging markets?

While the recovery period following the Covid-19 pandemic saw the unlocking of major capital in emerging markets, inflationary pressures, fluctuating commodity prices and geopolitical concerns have since tempered the global economic outlook for 2023. Balancing opportunity and risk has become a priority for shareholders and investors, but emerging markets have remained resilient. Some regions, such as the Gulf, are looking to funnel elevated hydrocarbons revenue into sustainable mega-projects, whereas leaders in Asia...

African start-ups were a bright spot in the global funding ecosystem in 2022

OBG

plus

As rising borrowing costs and recession concerns weighed on global venture capital investment in 2022, Africa’s start-up ecosystem attracted record funding. While most regions experienced double-digit declines in start-up funding last year, Africa posted gains in total investment volume, deals and number of investors. Start-up funding on the continent grew by roughly 5% in 2022, compared to a decline of 62% in Latin America and 39% in Asia Pacific. Globally, venture capital funding was down 35% at $445bn, albeit still well...

Can MENA capture a share of the green steel market?

OBG

plus

As the global industrial sector seeks to shrink its carbon footprint, a number of MENA countries are investing in green steel production to capture market share and help meet emissions targets. Despite generating 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, industry has been slow in adopting carbon-efficient manufacturing technologies. Steel is the manufacturing segment with the largest emissions, accounting for 7% of global emissions annually due in part to a reliance on coal to heat smelting furnaces. The world produced nearly 2bn tonnes of steel in 2021, more than half of which was made in China, by far the world’s largest steel-producing country. The next largest, India, produced...

Africa: Year in Review 2022

OBG

plus

Although economies in Africa faced uncertainty in 2022 as economic and global shocks weighed on post-Covid-19 pandemic recovery, intraregional trade and climate finance initiatives are helping to chart a course towards more sustainable development. Mirroring global trends, growth across the region is expected to slow from 4.7% in 2021 to 3.6% in 2022, according to the IMF’s regional economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa. Food security has become a central concern for many African nations, especially as high commodity prices, Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and climate change-induced natural disasters threaten food supply. Flooding in West Africa between June and November...

Côte d’Ivoire’s post-pandemic investment strategy

OBG

plus

Key reforms are lowering barriers to foreign direct investment (FDI) and improving the ease of doing business in Côte d’Ivoire as the country looks to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic. The government aims to increase foreign and private investment to 72% of the total and process at least 50% of raw export commodities domestically by 2030...