International economic activity was characterized in 2005 by sustained growth 4.3%, down slightly from 2004 when the rate was 5.1%. This decline seems mainly linked to the rise in oil prices, the tightening of monetary policy in the United States, as well as the significant drop in investment in certain developed countries. The slowdown in economic growth has affected all regions. In the OECD countries, growth stood at 2.5% in 2005 compared to 3.3% in 2004. In the United States, it was 3.5% against 4.2% in 2004 while in Europe, it stood at 1.2% compared to 2% in 2004. In France, growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) slowed down to 1.5% from 2% in 2004. Only the Chinese economy, stimulated by a strong contribution from the external sector, but also by domestic demand, recorded a growth rate of 9.9%. In Africa, growth remained at an appreciable level (4.5%), although slightly down compared to 2004 (5.1%).
