Africa is open for business and Australia will do well to consider it another look says Australia’s Economic Analytical Unit.

The report, which studied SA, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya and Uganda, said that SA’s conduciveness to business could go a long way in highlighting the merits of investment in sub-Saharan Africa over those of Australia’s other large trading partners in southeast Asia.

The area performed particularly well in the area of governance when compared to east Asia. It also highlighted the higher growth being achieved by Botswana, Mozambique and Uganda when compared with many east Asian economies over the past decade.

The report does not exclude the challenges facing SA such as HIV/AIDS, crime and limited human capital. Other barriers to trade highlighted in the report were the MIDP in the automotive industry, opaque customs procedures and import/export licensing. It also said that tariffs were falling but remained relatively high.