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IMF approves $209 million fresh loan facility for Liberia

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a statement on Monday that it had reached a staff-level agreement with Liberia on a new $209 million, 40-month extended credit facility arrangement.

The IMF stated that the agreement was subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board and that the board meeting was set for September 25.

In 2023, Liberia’s GDP grew by 4.7%. The primary factor that drove the expansion in 2023 was mining, particularly the production of gold.

The production of important agricultural products like rubber and crude palm oil fell over the year, which resulted in a slow 1.4% growth in the primary sector.

The mining industry led the 13.9% growth in secondary sector output, mostly driven by higher gold production.

Driven by the extension of services and agriculture as well as current mining developments, growth is expected at 5.2% in 2024 and 6.2% in 2025. Anticipated stability in the currency rate and tighter monetary policy help to estimate inflation to drop to 8.4% in 2024 and 5.7% in 2025.

 

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Mozambique drops interest rate for 6th time in 2024

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As inflation remains low in southern African Mozambique, its central bank has lowered its main interest rate by 75 basis points, the sixth straight drop.

Mozambique’s MIMO interest rate dropped from 13.50% to 12.75%. Since July, Mozambique’s inflation rate has stayed below 3%; in October, it was 2.68% annually.

In a statement, the Bank of Mozambique stated that, despite concerns about post-election demonstrations and their effect on the cost of goods and services, its most recent monetary policy decision was consistent with maintaining inflation in the single digits over the medium run.

With a moderate inflation forecast, the policy rate was lowered for the sixth straight time.

Despite concerns about post-election demonstrations and their effect on the cost of goods and services, policymakers said the decision was compatible with keeping inflation in the single digits in the medium run.

Although headline inflation increased slightly to 2.68% in October from 2.45% in July, it has stayed below 3% since then. Banco de Moçambique is the source.

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Hackers stole $17 million from Uganda National Bank— Report

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The state-owned New Vision newspaper has reported that offshore hackers had stolen 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million) from Uganda’s central bank.

Earlier this month, the hackers, who went by the name “Waste,” allegedly gained access to the Bank of Uganda’s IT systems and moved the money illegally.

According to New Vision, which cited anonymous bank sources, the Southeast Asian hacker collective moved a portion of the pilfered funds to Japan.

 

A request for comment on the issue from Reuters was not immediately answered by Bank of Uganda. A request for a response from the Ugandan police was likewise not answered.

More than half of the funds had been successfully retrieved by the central bank from the hackers, according to New Vision. It stated that President Yoweri Museveni had ordered a probe into the cyberattack.

Separately, the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent daily, stated that insider collaboration could have played a role in the crime.

In Uganda, there have been several instances of cyber thefts from banks and other financial service providers, including telecom companies. However, according to police authorities, several banks are reluctant to openly admit such events for fear of upsetting their clientele.

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