CAPE TOWN UA Curry 3 Australia , Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Escalating political risks in South Africa leads to doubts whether the balance between risks and opportunities in the country is still favorable for businesses, according to a new study released on Thursday.
South Africa's risk score of 5.0 remains below the region's average, but the reward score of 4.6 is also low, the Africa Risk-Reward Index shows.
The study is developed by Control Risks UA Curry 2.5 Australia , a global risk and strategic consulting firm, in cooperation with Oxford Economics.
Whilst South Africa enjoys a deserved reputation as Africa's pre-eminent constitutional democracy, several of its key institutions have gradually weakened over the past decade, says the study.
Economic prospects are closely linked to the outcomes of the ruling African National Congress' (ANC's) National Conference in December UA Curry 2 Australia , in which a new party leader will be elected.
The forecasted real GDP growth of 0.5 percent for 2017 is below population growth and certainly insufficient to reduce South Africa's staggering 27.7-percent unemployment rate, says the study.
The study lists South Africa, Nigeria and and Egypt as stumbling African giants which will be surpassed by Kenya and Ethiopia.
Egypt has seen rising security risks and political instability recently, while Nigeria has been hit by economic downturn and militancy UA Curry 1 Australia , according to the study.
Ethiopia outperforms every African peer with its high reward score of 8.0, attracting 3.2 billion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investment in 2016 - more even than Nigeria, and double the figure for Morocco.
Kenya has achieved a period of strong GDP growth amid relative political stability: real GDP growth averaged at 6.0 percent in 2010-16. The 2017 growth forecast is at 5.4 percent.
Kenya and Ethiopia might soon outshine these heavy-hitters in the competition for investment, the study concludes.
The Africa Risk-Reward Index helps investors to identify some of the more hidden investment opportunities in times where the heavy-hitters are struggling.
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Seniors rest at a IKEA store in Beijing. (PhotoChinanews)
IKEA's two Beijing stores said they will not follow suit after IKEA Shanghai's Xuhui store launched an "order food first, then take a seat" measure to better manage its canteen starting from Oct. 5.
Previous Chinese media reports said many single seniors came to the canteen on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the hopes of finding a potential partner.
According to a notice released by the Xuhui store, the measure was taken after customers complained that some elderly people were occupying tables for excessive periods Nike Zoom KD 5 Australia , talking too loudly, bringing in their own food, and even quarreling or fighting.
The company had taken various measures to try and improve the situation, but to no avail. "The situation had already adversely affected the dining experience and security of most of its customers Nike KD Trey 5 III Australia , and also had negative implications for the canteen's operation," IKEA stated.
An employee with IKEA Beijing's Siyuanqiao store said that despite facilitating occasional matchmaking among individual senior citizens, they had never come in large groups or caused any problems like those seen in Shanghai.
A marketing employee at IKEA Beijing also confirmed the two stores in Beijing had not experienced any problems in their canteens, so there was no need to impose restrictions.
Jia Jia
The world’s oldest-ever panda in captivity has been euthanized because her health was deteriorating rapidly in the past two weeks.
Hong Kong Ocean Park said a veterinarian euthanized 38-year-old Jia Jia yesterday evening to prevent further suffering and for ethical reasons.
Guinness World Records recognized Jia Jia as the oldest giant panda to live in captivity. The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 18 to 20 years Nike KD 9 Australia , while in captivity it’s 30 years, according to Guinness.
Born in the wild, Jia Jia was taken to live at a breeding center in southwestern China’s Sichuan Province in 1980, when she was around 2.
Died at the age of 38 Nike KD 8 Australia , about 114 years old in human terms, the female panda had lost sharply her food consumption from more than 10 kg to less than 3 kg per day, according to a spokeswoman from the theme park.
Jia Jia had spent less time awake and shown no interest in food or fluids for the past few days. The panda’s condition worsened yesterday morning when she was unable to walk and spent the day lying down.
Leo Kung Lin-cheng, Ocean Park’s chairman Nike KD 7 Australia , said Jia Jia was a member of their family who had spent 17 wonderful years with Hong Kong people, and she will be deeply missed.
He also thanked the panda for the wonderful things she had brought to Hong Kong people and visitors from around the world.
A spokesman with the Hong Kong government said that it was saddened by the panda’s death and expressed appreciation to the theme park for its care for Jia Jia and the support of the giant panda breeding center at the Wolong nature reserve in Sichuan.
Jia Jia was presented together with male panda An An by the central government to Hong Kong as a gift in 1999. Jia Jia gave births to six panda cubs.
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