Economic reforms are tempting finance back to Ethiopia and Zambia

August 15, 2024--Pockets of the African continent have found ways of giving new confidence to investors and the World Bank and IMF
As the west has diverted aid to Ukraine and Gaza, Africa faces neglect. A few countries on the continent have panicked and turned to Russia, while the prudent are embracing economic reforms to attract foreign direct investment.

Among the latter, financial markets are most familiar with South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. In each, reform of the real economy is under way but has hit the constraints of patronage politics. The people don't trust their governments with the higher taxes without which the state remains dependent upon rising indebtedness. Meanwhile, unnoticed by the markets, Ethiopia and Zambia are embracing sustainable reforms, in each case big enough to warrant investor interest.