Africa faces sharper growth slowdown if Middle East conflict drags on, report warns

African economies face the risk of a sharper growth slowdown this year if the war in the Middle East drags on, with prolonged disruption to trade, energy and fertiliser supplies threatening to ripple across the continent, according to a report released on Thursday. The report by two UN agencies, the African Union and the African Development Bank said African economies could lose 0.2 percentage points of GDP growth in 2026 if the conflict lasts more than six months.