Rwanda Economic Update, July 2012

Rwanda grew at a rapid rate in the second half of 2011, exceeding 10 percent for the first time, since the 2009 global economic downturn. Overall, Rwanda achieved 8.6 percent growth in 2011, and substantially exceeded the average growth for Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) of 5.0 percent. Rwanda also grew fastest than all the countries in the East African Community (EAC), which as a group reached 6.1 percent in 2011. Robust growth continued in the first quarter of 2012, when Rwanda's economy expanded at 7.7 percent. Renewed concerns over the global growth outlook and of the European debt crisis, might negatively affect Rwanda's prospects in 2012/2013, and lead to a lower growth turn-out compared to 2011. First quarter growth in 2012 remained overall robust, but showed considerable weakness in the industry sector. This was in contrast to what was observed in the second half of 2011, when industrial growth led by buoyant construction, and mining activities pushed the sector to the top, ahead of services. In the second half of 2011, Rwanda's growth momentum accelerated largely led by thriving non-tradable goods and services sectors while the manufacturing sector continued to be sluggish. The Rwandan economy expanded by 10.8 percent during the second half of 2011, but manufacturing only contributed 0.5 percentage points to this growth outcome. Agricultural output took a leap in the second half, mainly due to a very good second harvest season outcome. Overall, growth turn-out for 2011 stood at 8.6 percent, up from 7.2 percent in 2010. Inflationary pressures reappeared in tandem with high international food and fuel prices. The small policy response came with a delay, not enough to prevent core inflation reaching its highest level since mid-2009. Core inflation exceeded headline inflation for the whole second half of 2011. The current account deficit broadened in 2011. Rwanda's export performed robustly, benefiting from high international prices, but could not keep up with the increasing import bill, leading to a further deterioration in the trade balance. For 2012, Rwanda's economy is expected to continue to grow slower than it did in 2011, but at a healthy pace. The industrial sector is likely to expand less than in 2011 and growth in the services sector is expected to be more moderate, both on account of a more risky global environment.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	World Bank
Format:	Report biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Kigali 2012-07
Subjects:	ACCESS TO CAPITAL, ACCOUNTING, ADVERSE IMPACT, AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT, AGRICULTURE, ARREARS, AUCTIONS, BALANCE OF PAYMENTS, BALANCE SHEET, BANK DEPOSITS, BANKING SECTOR, BANKING SYSTEM, BANNER YEAR, BARRIER, BASIS POINTS, BENCHMARKS, BRANCH NETWORKS, BUDGET REVIEW, BUSINESS INVESTMENT, CAPITAL ACCOUNT, CAPITAL BASE, CAPITAL CONSTRAINTS, CAPITAL FORMATION, CAPITAL INFLOWS, CAPITAL INVESTMENT, CAPITAL MARKETS, CENTRAL BANK, COLLATERAL, COMMERCIAL BANK, COMMODITY, COMMODITY PRICES, COMMON MARKET, COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, COMPETITIVENESS, CONSUMER GOODS, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURE, COOPERATIVE BANK, CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, COUNTRY FORECAST, CREDIT APPRAISAL, CREDIT COOPERATIVES, CREDIT GROWTH, CURRENCY, CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE, CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT, CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICITS, CUSTOMS UNION, DEBT, DEBT CRISIS, DEFICITS, DEPOSIT, DEPOSIT RATE, DEPOSITORS, DEPOSITS, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT BANK, DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS, DIVIDENDS, DOMESTIC BORROWING, DOMESTIC LIQUIDITY, DOMESTIC SECURITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, EQUIPMENT, EXCESS LIQUIDITY, EXCHANGE RATE, EXCISE TAXES, EXPENDITURE, EXPORT GROWTH, EXPORT MARKET, EXPORT PERFORMANCE, EXPORT SHARES, EXPORTERS, EXPORTS, EXPOSURES, FINANCIAL ASSETS, FINANCIAL INFLOWS, FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL MARKET, FINANCIAL SECTOR, FINANCIAL SERVICES, FINANCIAL SYSTEM, FINANCING REQUIREMENTS, FISCAL CONSOLIDATION, FISCAL DEFICIT, FISCAL POLICY, FIXED CAPITAL, FIXED INVESTMENT, FOOD PRICE, FOOD PRODUCTION, FORECASTS, FOREIGN CAPITAL, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS, FOREIGN EXCHANGE, FOREIGN FINANCING, GDP, GLOBAL ECONOMIC PROSPECTS, GLOBAL ECONOMY, GLOBAL MARKETS, GLOBAL TRADE, GOVERNMENT ASSETS, GOVERNMENT BUDGET, GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, GROSS FIXED CAPITAL FORMATION, GROWTH IN TRADE, GROWTH RATE, HUMAN CAPITAL, INCOME, INCOME TAX, INFLATION, INFLATION RATES, INFLATIONARY PRESSURE, INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, INSURANCE, INSURANCE ACTIVITIES, INSURANCE COMPANY, INTEREST PAYMENTS, INTEREST RATE, INTEREST RATE SPREADS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, JOINT VENTURES, LIFE INSURANCE, LIFE INSURANCE PREMIUMS, LIQUIDITY, LIQUIDITY CRISIS, LIQUIDITY CRUNCH, LOCAL CAPITAL MARKETS, LOCAL MARKET, LOW-INCOME COUNTRY, LOW-INCOME ECONOMY,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/899241468108265340/Leveraging-regional-integration https://hdl.handle.net/10986/26691
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