The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board has concluded its 2026 Post‑Financing Assessment with the Republic of Congo, warning that fiscal, external and debt vulnerabilities have intensified following significant fiscal slippage in 2025 and mounting liquidity pressures. 

South Africa’s (SA) Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Alexandra Abrahams, says localisation must become a national commitment that rebuilds productive capacity, deepens value chains and drives sustained economic growth.

Severe shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait have brought South Africa’s (SA) fruit exports to the Middle East to a standstill, placing farmers under immense financial strain and threatening an already fragile season. 

Nigeria is grappling with a sharp energy shock as global oil prices surge above $100 a barrel, driven by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.