Weekend Reading: Putting U.S. - Africa Trade in Context

According to Standard & Poor's, the U.S. government shutdown '... shaved at least 0.6% off of annualized fourth-quarter 2013 GDP growth ...' In simple terms, the 16 days of partial government government was, at $ 24 billion, even more valuable than every ounce of business the American private and public sectors do with sub Saharan Africa. Basically, even if sub-Saharan Africa is home to 7 of the top 10 most rapidly expanding markets, even when African economic growth rates have been 5-6%

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