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Africa’s shrinking economies “threaten democracy”

Grains traders plough through the remains of Laranto grain market before it was burned down in the Jos riots Aminu Abubakar/IRIN
    DAKAR

    A “brutal contraction” of economies in Africa may threaten democratic gains on the continent, according to the African Economic Outlook 2009 released in Dakar, Senegal at the launch of an African Development Bank conference on the impacts of the global financial crisis.



    The study cited recent military takeovers in Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Madagascar as examples of the continent’s fragility to political shakeups.



    The global economic crisis has heightened the risk that “new tensions could explode” in Africa, where economic growth is expected to be half as much in 2009 as last year, according to the study.



    Read about the economics of political instability.



    The economies of Seychelles, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad and Angola are expected to shrink in 2009.



    pt/aj

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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