Africa’s forests have played second fiddle compared to other rainforest regions when it comes to global conservation efforts and investment. Is this changing? 

Africa’s agricultural sector may still be underdeveloped, but it is growing as investors increasingly seek to exploit local and regional sources of demand and develop the continent’s processing capacity. A greater provision of banking services is also helping.

The central bank governor of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa says that the advantages of the CFA franc’s peg to the euro greatly outweigh the disadvantages, but he believes deeper integration among its six members is needed for them to realise their potential in the long term.

Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, tells The Banker that his reforms will help his country overcome its reliance on oil. But this is no easy task, with the country's growth set to slow this year and its economy hampered by bureaucracy and a lack of good infrastructure. Barbara Njau reports.