Scherzando Karasu Freelance Writer

Prepared by Scherzando Karasu Equatorial Guinea’s economy, once negligible, has grown at an incredible 40% annually since 1996 when the former Spanish colony struck oil and the hydrocarbon boom began. A few years ago, the streets of the capital, Malabo, were quiet. Now, Malabo's pretty Spanish colonial architecture bristles with satellite dishes, and the streets, bathed at night in an orange glow from gas flared at a nearby methanol plant, are lined with sports cars, and tropical palaces.  Consisting mainly of an island that hosts the capital and a largely forested mainland, it is little known to outsiders but at last years Fortune Global Forum – which brings together the Fortune 500 CEOs and many heads of state – The President of the Republic; Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo laid down the foundations of his ambitious Horizon 2020 program which aims to propel his country emerging country status by that year. His vision, set out in a five-point plan was; firstly to pursu

Focus on Sri Lanka Prepared by Scherzando Karasu                                                                                                        Beaming like a Cheshire cat from billboards across Colombo there has been no stopping the remorseless ascent of Sri Lanka’s President Mahindra Rajapaksa. Having routed the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009, after nearly three decades of civil war. The country is reaping dividends from the defeat of the insurgency. His grateful citizens re-elected him in a landslide victory last January and then his party cantered to victory in a parliamentary poll in April 2010. His priorities now are to attract foreign investment and increase trade. The economy, buffeted by a slump in garment exports and tourism because of the war, is now perking up and confidence is returning. September 2010 saw a Sovereign Bond issue that raised $1billion and was six times oversubscribed, with strong capital inflows of so

Zambia: Short Country Focus After expanding by an average of nearly 6% for the past nine years, the longest period of growth since independence. Zambia was named in 2010 by the World Bank as one of the world’s fastest economically reforming countries. Praised for boosting economic growth, cutting foreign debt, attracting foreign investment and pursuing an aggressive anti-graft campaign as well as having excellent fiscal management in a hard time. O ne of Sub-Saharan Africa 's most highly urbanized countries with about one-half of the 11.5 million people concentrated in a few urban zones there has been a diverse range of positive macroeconomic reforms recently implemented. With a floating exchange rate and open capital markets all providing a useful discipline to the government. With a much needed and continued diversification of Zambia’s export sector. A growth in the formerly large tourism industry and a range of procurement of inputs for growing businesses and massiv

Mozambique: Short Country Focus By Scherzando Karasu Since a peace deal was signed in 1992 ending 16 years of civil war, the República de Moçambique to give it its official title has made much progress in economic development and political stability.  And has consistently been one of the best performing countries in the UNDP’S “Human Development index” The resettlement of civil war refugees and successful economic reform have led to a high growth rate and the country has enjoyed a remarkable recovery, with an estimated real GDP growth rate of more than 8% in 2010. Driven mainly by the minerals sector. With growth expected to remain brisk in 2011 with t he government projecting the economy to continue to expand between 7-10% a year for the next five years. Although rapid expansion in the future hinges on several major foreign investment projects, continued economic reform, and the revival of the agriculture, transportation, and tourism sectors. However foreign i