The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) realised a 15.3-percent increase in its operations turnover in 2014 compared to 2013 despite the challenging global and regional economic environment, according to AfDB 2014 Annual Report.

With Africa's population set to triple by 2050, modernising local economies will be vital to make the continent more competitive and to increase people's living standards, according to the African Economic Outlook 2015, released at the African Development Bank Group's 50th Annual Meetings.

A diverse set of forces, including favourable economic factors, a supportive regulatory environment, and a high disease burden will makeKenya and Rwanda among the most attractive countries inEast Africa. The consolidation of the rising middle class and heightened healthcare awareness will drive up per capita healthcare expenditure and provide lucrative opportunities within these markets.

The issue of enhancing trade is key to helping African countries become emerging economies, African Development Bank's Acting Chief Economist and Vice-President said during the recent International Conference on the Emergence of Africa.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) through its private sector window approved on March 2, 2015 a US $3 million line of credit (LoC) equivalent in the local currency (Zambian Kwacha) to Madison Finance Company Ltd.

According to a new report by Allied Market Research entitled, "South Africa IP Video Surveillance and VSaaS Market - Size, Industry Analysis, Trends, Opportunities, Growth and Forecast, 2013-2020", the South African IP video surveillance and VSaaS market is expected to reach $51.8 million by 2020, registering a CAGR of 16.1% during 2014-2020. The revenue from the sales of hardware accounted for nearly 60%, whereas cloud services, software and other services segment accounted for around 40% of the revenue in 2013.

"Africa's new economic environment" is the theme of the 2015 Africa CEO Forum that will take place on March 16-17, 2015 in Geneva. The meeting, which is co-organised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Paris-based magazine group, Jeune Afrique, will focus primarily on development priorities of African businesses.

The Constituency for Africa (CFA) convened its first Africa Healthcare Infrastructure Forum on February 6 at the Africa Union Mission in Washington, DC. The ground-breaking forum, led by CFA founder & president, Melvin Foote, brought together world-renowned healthcare and medical professionals, corporate executives and high-ranking dignitaries to brainstorm solutions for building sustainable healthcare infrastructure in African countries.

Product and process innovations in the ICT sector have boosted the continent's economic performance

Forum will now be held on August 29-31 in Libreville to coincide withGabon's hosting of the 14th AGOA Forum

On February 2, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a SDR 352.82 million (about US$497.1 million) Stand-By Arrangement and a SDR 135.7 million (about US$191.2 million) arrangement under the Stand-By Credit Facility1 (SBA/SCF) for Kenya for a combined SDR 488.52 million (about US$688.3 million or 180 percent of Kenya's quota).

In order to achieve Africa's socioeconomic transformation, the continent's leaders have to embrace new thinking, and break with the past, according to Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank.