In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, Africa should prepare for an “inevitable” drop in aid and trade flows from the wealthy Asian nation, a report by the Standard Chartered Bank warns.
“African countries must prepare for an inevitable decrease in trade and aid volumes with Japan in the near and perhaps even medium-term,” according to Simon Freemantle and Jeremy Stevens, the bank’s research analysts who authored the report.
“The linkages between Japan and Africa - both direct and indirect - are certainly substantial. Therefore, any renewed bout of risk aversion, dent in external demand, shelving of investment, swings in terms of trade, and fall in aid commitments will be harmful,” they added, as reported by the Nigerian newspaper Leadership.
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