MORE than 1,900 people have so far died from Ebola in the four affected west African countries, but many more will suffer the economic consequences. Governments reckon the worst of those effects are yet to be felt, but they are still busy trying to calculate what the outbreak is going to cost them. Here are Liberia's thoughts:
The tiny post-conflict country has been growing at upwards of 8% over the last couple of years, but won't expect anything like that kind of luck now. The government is still number-crunching with the International Monetary Fund, but it reckons Ebola will shave more than 2% of growth rates this year, putting estimates at 3.5%.
Finance minister Amara Konneh says that's mostly because of damage done to mining, agriculture and service industries, as investors evacuate foreign workers, borders close, and international flights are suspended. Bread-basket regions are under quarantine, making agricultural trade impossible. Sime Darby, the world's largest listed producer of oil palm, is slowing production and Sifca Group, an Ivory Coast-based agribusiness, has halted rubber exports. Mr Konneh...Continue reading
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