3rd September 2007

Gambia's economy is expected to grow around 7 percent in 2007, boosted by a rise in agricultural production and an expanding services sector, the West African country's central bank said on Monday.
Banking, tourism and telecoms as well as a booming construction industry were expected to underpin growth this year, acting central bank governor Bamba Saho said in a statement.

"The robust economic expansion is expected to be sustained in the near term supported by improving financial conditions," the statement said."Inflation is forecast to decelerate to less than 5.0 percent by end December 2007," it said. Gambia's economy grew an estimated 7.1 percent in 2006, compared with 6.9 percent in 2005, according to central bank figures.