38
Table 3.1 Real GDP Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (percentage change)
2004-08 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Sub-Saharan Africa (Total) 6.5 2.8 5.3 5.2 5.3 5.3
Oil exporting countries 8.6 5.1 6.6 6.3 6.7 6.0
Middle Income Countries 5.0 -0.6 3.8 4.5 3.4 3.8
Low Income Countries 7.3 5.4 6.4 5.5 5.9 6.1
Fragile Countries 2.5 3.1 4.2 2.3 6.6 6.5
World 4.6 -0.6 5.1 3.8 3.3 3.6
Source: (IMF 2012)
All four countries in our sample represent the lowest possible level or a 0% of share of world exports.
However, these figures have to be examined in their proper context, namely the generally low share of all
African exports as a proportion of world exports and the only marginally better performances of countries
such as South Africa and Nigeria. There are no outlier countries which buck the trend. While the larger of
the sub-Saharan African countries have a low ranking in the overall exports market, countries at the
lowest possible end of the spectrum may achieve a higher ranking due to the exclusive nature of the
products or services that they export. Cameroon, Senegal, Uganda, and Burkina Faso (in ascending order)
all have a higher ranking than for example Nigeria and South Africa.
In examining the direction of exports from African countries to other parts of the world we find that
although exports have been growing, 2012 marked a slowing down of this trend. Exports to advanced
economies increased for the period between 2010 and 2011 but decreased in 2012 to 187.5 bn US $ from
204.83 US$. This decrease was, however, was compensated by an increase in exports from 128.42 US$ in
2010 to 173.57 US$ in 2012 (or 35%) to emerging and developing economies, predominantly to Asia
(41%) and to a lesser extent to the MENA countries (39%) and Europe (17%). This shows that African
countries are presently exporting more within Africa as indicated in the data showing steady increase in
exports within Africa.
Table 3.2 Value of African Exports to Other Regions
2010 2011 2012 2012
Q1
2012
Q2
2012
Q3
2012
Q4
2012
Sep
2012
Oct
2012
Nov
2012
Dec
World 294.47 372.31 375.21 93.30 94.57 91.71 95.63 31.41 31.66 31.33 32.64
Advanced Economies 162.12 204.83 187.45 48.51 45.81 47.04 46.09 16.34 16.82 15.50 13.77
Emerging and Developing
Countries
128.42 151.86 173.57 41.01 45.18 41.05 46.33 13.91 14.36 14.54 17.43
Developing Asia 72.22 85.23 102.40 24.83 27.26 22.73 27.58 7.68 8.24 8.03 11.31
Europe 4.61 5.13 5.42 1.27 1.34 1.33 1.48 0.49 0.56 0.46 0.46
Middle East and north
Africa
4.82 5.53 6.71 1.29 1.65 1.51 2.25 0.53 1.25 0.49 0.51
Western Hemisphere 11.36 15.58 14.22 3.28 4.22 2.81 3.91 1.02 0.84 1.70 1.38
Source: Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS); Data extracted from IMF Data Warehouse on: 5/28/2013
Variations in the exporting fortunes of African countries are not necessarily uniform and this is because of
their dependence on commodities. The exports of the selected countries (Cameroon, Senegal, Uganda,
and Burkina Faso) are composed of primary commodities that are homogeneous products and with low
value. Rauch’s classification (1999) indicates that about 60% of African exports were goods traded on