Publication: CEMAC Economic Barometer, June 2025, Vol. 8
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2025-07-21
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2025-07-21
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The CEMAC Economic Barometer is a semi-annual World Bank publication that presents a snapshot of recent developments in and the economic outlook of the CEMAC region, followed by a brief assessment at the country level. Economic activities in the CEMAC region are estimated to have expanded by 3.0 percent in 2024 (up from 2.0 percent in 2023). However, growth is expected to decelerate to 2.4 percent in 2025 amid declining oil prices, subdued global demand, and a highly uncertain global trade environment. Inflationary pressures continued to gradually abate, which allowed the regional central bank (BEAC) to start easing monetary policy in early 2025. The region’s reserve, fiscal and trade positions deteriorated in 2024 due to lower oil prices, highlighting CEMAC’s high exposure to volatile markets for hydrocarbons and, to a lesser degree, a few other commodities like timber and minerals. A worrying trend in CEMAC, from a development point of view, is the rising poverty levels. In view of modest growth, high unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, especially for the youth, a third of CEMAC’s population is estimated to live in extreme poverty by 2024, that is, under $2.15 per day in 2017 PPP. To foster more robust growth, create more jobs, develop regional and global trade, and lift more people out of poverty, CEMAC countries need to create better conditions for local firms to grow, invest and hire more, and expand their exports. In this context, it would be essential to accelerate reforms foreseen in the regional economic plans, including CEMAC’s Economic and Financial Reform Program (PREF-CEMAC II) and the upcoming Regional Economic Program.
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“World Bank. 2025. CEMAC Economic Barometer, June 2025, Vol. 8. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43468 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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