(Business in Cameroon) - In the CEMAC region, although Cameroon is the most affected by the covid-19 with over 1,000 cases so far, it will be the least impacted macroeconomically. This was revealed in a table produced by Solomane Konén, the AfDB’s Director for the Central Africa Region, during an interview with Investir au Cameroun, to show the impacts of the Covid-19 on the main macroeconomic indicators in the CEMAC regions.

The country is expected to record a 3% deceleration in growth, 2.8%, and 1.4% deterioration of budget balance and the current account balance respectively.  

"In most of the latest simulations made by various economic forecasting agencies, in the event of a crisis lasting no more than 3 months, Cameroon will still show an enviable economic growth of 1 to 2% in 2020," said economist Robert Beidi in an interview published in the April edition of the Business in Cameroon magazine. According to him, "this enviable projection should mainly result from the economy’s diversification and the various economic reforms introduced in recent years, under the instruction of the IMF.” 

The second least impacted country after Cameroon is Gabon, with a 4.8% deceleration of growth. The third country is Chad with a 4.9% contraction, followed by Congo with 7.3%. The most seriously affected growths are those of Equatorial Guinea (-8.9%) and the Central African Republic (-7.9%).

According to Solomane Koné's explanations, "this deceleration of growth could be caused by a drop in production, given the fall in the prices of raw materials, particularly oil, of which the region is a net exporter." As a result, the region could experience business bankruptcies and job losses.

Sylvain Andzongo