How a post-pandemic revival could kick-start continental free trade area | FAIZEL ISMAIL | The African Continental Free Trade Area was launched two years ago at an African Union (AU) summit in Kigali. It was scheduled to be implemented from July 1, 2020. But this has been pushed out until …
Read More »Govt revises proposal to acquire loans for COVID-19
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Government has revised its proposal to borrow money to mitigate the effects of coronavirus by up to 1.3 trillion shillings. On April 2, the government presented a motion to borrow up to 1.7 trillion shillings to cushion the economy from the effects of COVID-19. …
Read More »Uganda Development Bank to be placed under BoU watch
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Development Bank -UDB will be placed under the watch of Bank of Uganda with the aim of strengthening it. UDB is 100 percent owned by the government and has been self-regulating, audited by the Auditor General and reporting to parliament to answer queries …
Read More »Uganda gets UGX 1.9 trillion emergency funding from IMF
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday approved USD 491.5 million (1.9 trillion Shillings) in emergency funding for Uganda to address the impact left by the coronavirus on the economy. The money is approved under the Rapid Credit Facility program that is meant to help poor …
Read More »Containing COVID-19 economic fallout
How issuance of the IMF’s reserve asset, Special Drawing Rights, could ensure international liquidity COMMENT | JIM O’NEIL AND DOMENICO LOMBARDI | Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Monetary Fund estimates that, between now and the end of 2021, global GDP will suffer a cumulative loss of more …
Read More »IMF, WTO warn against export controls on medical supplies, food
Washington, United States | AFP | The growing use of export restrictions by governments can be “dangerously counterproductive” as the world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, the IMF and WTO warned Friday. The two institutions called on global leaders to commit to refrain from imposing or tightening controls on product sales, as they did at …
Read More »Leaders warn Africa short of funds to fight pandemic
Washington, United States | AFP | International financial institutions and African leaders warned on Friday the continent needs tens of billions of dollars in additional money to fight the coronavirus pandemic despite debt freezes and massive pledges of support. In a joint statement, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund said …
Read More »COVID-19: IMF, World Bank roll out all their lending tools
Washington, United States | AFP | The IMF and World Bank have aggressively pushed out financing to help countries deal with the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Here is a summary of the financing available from the Washington-based development lenders: – Regular lending capacity – All members …
Read More »Uganda could be most resilient in East Africa this year – IMF
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda could emerge from the COVID-19 crisis as the most resilient compared to the other countries in the region, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. In the latest report of the global outlook for 2020, the IMF says Uganda’s growth will be 3.5% …
Read More »Pandemic causing deep recession, and it could get worse: IMF
Washington, United States | AFP | The coronavirus pandemic is pushing the global economy into its deepest recession in a century, cutting world output by three percent this year, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday. If the virus is contained and economies can begin operating again, 2021 should see a rebound …
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