For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: Treasury confirms signing of govt’s $1.5bn development policy loan with World Bank; Trade conditions remained tight in June; And, global hunger declines across continents but climate, trade risks loom, UN says

Treasury confirms signing of govt’s $1.5bn development policy loan with World Bank

The South African government and the World Bank have signed a $1.5-billion Development Policy Loan Agreement aimed at supporting the country’s efforts to achieve inclusive growth by tackling infrastructure constraints, identified as the primary barrier to job creation.

This serves as the fourth development policy loan and continued partnership with the World Bank, aimed at addressing South Africa’s economic challenges of low growth and high unemployment, National Treasury notes in a statement.

The loan is expected to assist South Africa with implementing the necessary interventions aimed at advancing reforms in the electricity, freight and logistics sectors, and addressing challenges in the water and sanitation sector.

The financing forms part of the government’s broader efforts for continued momentum on structural reforms in the energy, logistics and water sectors, among others.

Trade conditions remained tight in June

The crude oil price returning to about $72/barrel at the end of June had positive effects on business and particularly on general trade conditions for the month and improved trade expectations, reports business organisation the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sales prices remained stable in June, although the general price level, or inflation, partially started to reflect the full fuel price impact in May, Sacci says in its 'Trade Conditions Survey’ for June.

The lower sales volumes and new orders for May and June indicate the real effect of the rising fuel prices and their effect on spending patterns in the economy, it adds.

However, expected trade conditions moved firmly back into positive mode for the next six months according to the survey.

The gap between present and expected trade conditions remains wide, but the much lower crude oil and pump prices spurred positive expectations after the serious dip in the Trade Expectations Index in April, Sacci notes.

And, global hunger declines across continents but climate, trade risks loom, UN says

Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, with improvements recorded across every continent, although mounting risks from climate shocks and trade disruption could threaten further progress, a United Nations report said.

Around 645-million people, or 7.8% of the world's population, experienced hunger last year, down from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, jointly prepared by five UN agencies.

Progress was driven largely by gains in Asia, particularly India, as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. Some African countries also began to reverse years of deterioration, though the continent had the world's largest undernourished population in 2025, with 309-million people affected, one in five Africans.

Global hunger is projected to keep falling by 2030, according to the UN experts.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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