Dakar — Internal economic activity (excluding agriculture and forestry) strengthened, in March 2019, by 7.1%, on a monthly basis, indicates the Department of Forecasting and Economic Studies (DPEE).

This result is the result of “good overall progress” in the primary (+9.3%), secondary (+11.3%), tertiary (+5.7%) and public administration sectors ( +3.6%), specifies the DPEE in its Monthly Economic Update for March, a document made public no later than 30 days after the end of the period studied.

The document consulted by the APS underlines that on an "annual basis, growth of 4.8%, in economic activity excluding agriculture and forestry, was noted in March 2019, mainly driven by the tertiary sector (+6.1 %) and secondary (+5.6%)".

The primary sector (excluding agriculture and forestry) rebounded by 9.3%, in monthly variation, after its decline in the previous month.

"This situation reflects the performance of the livestock sub-sector (+13.7%), with fishing contracting by 1.6% over the period", explains the DPEE, adding that "on an annual basis, the primary sector excluding agriculture and forestry, on the other hand, fell slightly (-0.4%) in March 2019, in connection with the poor performance of fishing (-9.0%)".

Still in March 2019, the secondary sector grew by 11.3%, in monthly variation.

It is "mainly supported by the manufacture of agri-food products (+18.6%), the sub-branch +spinning, weaving and textile finishing+ (+44.2%), construction (+12.8%), and extractive activities (+8.3%)".

On the other hand, notes the document, "weak results are observed in + leather work and the manufacture of travel goods and footwear + (-57.7%), + wood sawing and planing + (- 23.6 %), the chemical industries (-27.5%) and the manufacture of pharmaceutical products (-44.7%)".

The Monthly Point reports that "over one year, a consolidation of 5.6% was noted in the secondary sector, in March 2019, particularly driven by the manufacture of agri-food products (+14.7%), extractive activities ( +31.6%), the sub-branch of +spinning, weaving and textile finishing+ (+16.3%) as well as the +production and distribution of electricity and gas+ (+13.3%)".

According to the document, "this evolution is, however, mitigated by the weak results of + leather work and manufacture of travel goods and footwear + (- 76.5%), + sawing and planing of wood + (-39, 9%) and the +manufacture of cement and other building materials+ (-9.9%)".

The tertiary sector strengthened by 5.7% between February and March 2019.

It is "essentially supported by trade (+7.5%), +information and communication+(+6.6%), transport (+7.5%), +financial and insurance activities+( +9.6%), + accommodation and catering services + (+5.6%) and education (+3.9%)".

"Compared to the same period of 2018, a 6.1% growth in the tertiary sector was noted in March 2019, driven by trade (+10.3%), + information and communication + (+6.3%), + specialized, scientific and technical activities + (+6.9%) and transport (+5.5%)”, explains the same source.