Namibia: Africa's new economic jewel?

摘要

The vast southern African country of Namibia is often perceived as a proxy for its neighbour south Africa. Its fortunes have in the past been closely tied to those of South Africa, having historically been occupied by the country. Despite the fact Namibia officially achieved independence from South Africa in 1990, the two countries continue to be seen as politically and economically interlinked. So when South Africa's economy entered the doldrums in 2009, contracting by 0.9% according to the African Development Bank, international investors watched to see if Namibia would fall as its neighbour had. Although Namibia's economy contracted by 0.5% in the same year, its rebound has been greater and more sustained than South Africa's. While South Africa is expected to grow by just 2.8% in 2013, the African Development Bank expects Namibia will outperform it and achieve 4.2% growth, increasing to 4.3% next year, primarily on the back of its diamond and uranium exports.