World Bank Podcasts

The World Bank’s biannual report on Africa’s economic performance, Africa’s Pulse, released in Washington, D.C. this week, finds that despite weaker than expected global growth and stable or declining commodity prices, African economies continue to expand. The report finds that Africa’s Growth may surpass five per cent in financial year 2015-16, but Ebola, terrorism and other risks also threaten these economies. World Bank Chief Economist for the Africa Region, Chico Ferreira: “The good news in the Africa’s Pulse that’s coming out this fall, is that growth continues to be strong in Sub-Saharan Africa. Growth in 2014 is expected to come in in 4.6 percent. Of course there are downside risks that we need to be aware of. The most important one, that’s on everyone’s mind, is the risk of Ebola and contagion from Ebola in West Africa. For the rest of the continent, Africa’s Pulse finds that significant public investment in infrastructure, increased agricultural production and expanding services in African retail,