South Africa Economic Update : Focus on Savings, Investment, and Inclusive Growth
The firming of the economic recovery is putting the policy spotlight back on the longer term challenge of faster, more inclusive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. Modest investment rates despite attractive returns and low savings rates despite f...
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Format: | Report |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC
2017
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Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/115621468115472034/South-Africa-economic-update-focus-on-savings-investment-and-inclusive-growth http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27346 |
Summary: | The firming of the economic recovery is
putting the policy spotlight back on the longer term
challenge of faster, more inclusive Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) growth. Modest investment rates despite attractive
returns and low savings rates despite favorable demographics
are important impediments. A virtuous cycle of faster
capital accumulation, job creation (especially for the
youth), and technological advancement needs to be
stimulated. There are no quick fixes that can produce the
desired stimulus. The quest for inclusive growth calls for a
different, bolder approach. Integration of the advanced and
less-developed economies and more effective integration with
the global economy, using factory Southern Africa as a
platform, hold considerable potential. South Africa's
medium-term growth prospects point to a strengthening
recovery. GDP growth is projected to be 3.5 percent in 2011,
4.1 percent in 2012 and 4.4 percent in 2013. The long term
potential growth rate under the current policy environment
is estimated at 3.5 percent. In light of South Africa's
low national savings, the reemergence of high current
account deficits, financed mostly through volatile portfolio
flows, will reemerge as the biggest cause for macroeconomic
concern over the medium term. With considerable
strengthening of the economic recovery and GDP projected to
reach its potential by 2014, the focus shifts back to the
longer term challenge of raising GDP growth to 6-7 percent
and making it much more inclusive to tackle the extremely
high unemployment. This first issue is anchored in the
national aspirations of faster and more inclusive growth,
with special emphasis on the issues of savings and investment. |
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