Africa is unlikely to be the direct target of any Trump-induced trade protectionism. But if trade tensions escalate, potentially weakening confidence in emerging markets, sub-Saharan African economies will feel the impact.
Over the last two decades, Africa’s trade with emerging markets has grown rapidly, at the expense of its trade with more developed partners. A slowdown in global trade would be a negative for trade-dependent emerging markets and could hurt their demand for sub-Saharan Africa’s export commodities. Read:
Related: US President Donald Trump Hints on Plans for Africa
BloomBerg Ranks Kenya among 12 Countries in Risk Category
Kenya is among the 16 countries Bloomberg has ranked as risk in its Global Risk Briefing.
Bloomberg states says,”Politics is roiling markets as the Trump era dawns, Chinese leadership turns over and major elections sweep through Europe. Bloomberg’s risk map signals where danger lurks.”
The Bloomberg Country Risk Score is a composite of 29 indicators representing financial, economic and political risks facing investors. Risk scores are calculated on a monthly basis and range from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating less overall risk relative to other countries. Read:
What is Africapitalism? Tony Elumelu 
A leader in African business, finance and investment, Tony Elumelu is the chairman of the United Bank for Africa group, Transcorp and the investment firm, Heirs Holdings, shared his ideas during the just concluded World Economic Forum (WEF2017) on how Africa can access to economic opportunity. Read:
Africa’s Expanding Middle Class, Rising GDP and Business Class Fueling Growth
The growth of the African middle class, rapid urbanisation, along with increased GDP per head, is creating a sizeable consumer class across the continent.
Demographic statistics show that Africa already has a larger middle class – earning the equivalent of more than $20,000 per year – than India. By 2030, it is forecast that more than half of Africa’s population will live in urban areas, up from one-third today. These trends, along with GDP growth rates in excess of 4-5%, all support forecasts of growth in the consumer goods and services sectors, which will open up investment opportunities. Read:
Managing water is key to adapting African agriculture to climate change
This is one of the three key pillars of Africa’s initiative, climate resilient agriculture in their indicative pledges to the United Nations. Globally, agriculture uses around 70% of freshwater supply. But water sources are increasingly under threat. Thanks to climate change, annual rainfall in some regions of Africa – especially southern and northern Africa – is expected to decrease. Droughts will be more frequent, more intense and will last longer.
By harnessing climate funding for improved agricultural water management, African nations will reap multiple rewards. These rewards will be in the form of improved resilience to extreme weather events, and a food-secure future. Both of these are central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to reducing hunger, improving health and livelihoods, as well as combating climate change. Read: