insert_link South Africa Deputy President Says Government Is Collaborating with Development Bank to Aid Indebted Municipalities S.A's Deputy president Paul Mashatile says the government is working with the Development Bank of Southern Africa to secure resources to assist municipalities that are in debt. Municipalities owe creditors 116.5-billion-rand, with 75.3-percent of this debt more than 90 days overdue. In turn municipalities in 2023/2024 were owed 339.9-billion-rand. Answering questions in the National Assembly yesterday, Mashatile said it is concerning that many municipalities are in financial stress: todayNovember 1, 2024 21
insert_link Business / Economics Economist Embraces Tax Amnesty Announcement During the presentation of the mid-term budget, Finance minister,Iipumbu Shiimi, announced the extension of the tax amnesty programme until October 31, 2026. It was originally set to expire today. Economist Gabriel Erastus provided his insights on the announcement. todayOctober 31, 2024 21
insert_link Namibia Absence Of Lawmakers Criticized as Midterm Budget Review Postponed Again Disappointment was expressed by Parliamentarians over lawmakers' repeated failure to attend the midterm budget review, which has now been postponed for the second time. Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi stated that while budget allocations will remain the same, resources will be redirected to ministries facing urgent needs. Manuel Ngaringombe from the Popular Democratic Movement: From the Landless People's Movement, Lifalaza Robert-Prince Simataa: todayOctober 30, 2024 20
insert_link Africa Kenya could run out of money to repay massive debts: how to avoid this By Odongo Kodongo, University of the Witwatersrand Data from Kenya’s central bank show that public debt (total money owed) declined between December 2023 and June 2024. The drop in external debt – by 15.4 % – over this period does not mean that the country’s overall finances have improved. Rather, it is due to the gains in the value of the Kenyan shilling, thanks to pervasive state […] todaySeptember 17, 2024 16
insert_link Africa The IMF is failing countries like Kenya: why, and what can be done about it By Danny Bradlow, University of Pretoria The recent Kenyan protests are a warning that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is failing. The public does not think it is helping its member countries manage their economic and financial problems, which are being exacerbated by a rapidly changing global political economy. To be sure, the IMF is not the only cause of Kenya’s problems with raising […] todayJuly 3, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Gabon: post-coup dialogue has mapped out path to democracy – now military leaders must act By Douglas Yates, American Graduate School in Paris (AGS) At the end of April 2024, a long and peaceful process of national dialogue in Gabon between the military junta, presided over by coup leader General Brice Oligui Nguema, and civil society, represented by 580 civilians, came to an end. The national dialogue followed an August 2023 coup that removed Ali Bongo Ondimba from office and ended […] todayMay 17, 2024 21
insert_link Business / Economics Economists call for more frequent Government finance updates Local Market stakeholders say the country needs more regular updates and analyses on Government Finances. Right now, Namibia only gets them twice a year. With the national budget coming up in about two to three weeks, we asked local economist Gabriel Erastus how the budget can help with achieving the country's goals. todayFebruary 8, 2024 38
insert_link Africa Botswana’s Peggy Serame named Finance Minister of the Year 2024 Botswana’s government has congratulated Peggy Serame for being awarded Finance Minister of the Year for Africa 2024 by The Banker Magazine. The magazine, which is a Financial Times Publication based in London, was first published in January 1926, to provide economic and financial intelligence for the world’s financial sector, over a broad spectrum of issues. According to The Banker, commonly held up as one of Africa’s success stories, economic growth […] todayJanuary 8, 2024 99