In its Monthly Statistics Bulletin, the Bceao analyzed the situation of economic activity in WAEMU but also oil prices.

Due to the gradual recovery in economic activity following the easing of restrictive measures taken to counter the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, crude oil prices denominated in dollars rose by 128.5% over one year according to the Bceao. Regarding the main raw materials exported by the countries of the Union, adds the Bceao, the prices increased, compared to the same period of 2020, for rubber (+53.3%), cotton (+51.0 %), coffee (+20.6%), cashew (+11.5%), gold (+6.1%) and cocoa (+4.8%). For imported food products, prices were also on the rise for edible oils (+108.1%) and wheat (+31.3%). On the other hand, a decline of 17.2% was noted for rice.

The growth of the GDP in volume in the Union results from the good orientation of the economic activity in all the sectors. The added value of the tertiary sector increased over one year by 9.3% in the second quarter of 2021, after an increase of 3.7% the previous quarter. For the secondary sector, an acceleration in the pace of production was recorded at a rate of 7.1% in the second quarter of 2021, against 2.7% a quarter earlier.