Ethiopia as well as four other east African countries are projected to maintain moderately robust growth in 2009 and 2010, said a report of the United Nations on Wednesday.

The 2009 African Economic Outlook, co-produced by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda will have healthy economic growth in the years of 2009 and 2010.

The report said the countries have the fastest growing economies in east Africa in 2008. The countries' growth is to be sustainable since "the demand for their major agricultural and horticultural exports is less sensitive to the effects of the crisis," said the report.

Ethiopia has said it expects growth of about 10 percent in 2009. However, the International Monetary Fund has predicted 6.5 percent.

The 2009 African Economic Outlook covered 47 African countries, up from 35 last year.

The report found the region gravely affected by the global economic downturn.

Following half a decade of above 5 percent economic growth, the continent can expect only 2.8 percent in 2009, less than half of the 5.7 percent expected before the crisis, it said.

It anticipated growth rebounding to 4.5 percent in 2010. Growth in oil-exporting countries is expected to fall to 2.4 percent in 2009 compared to 3.3 percent for the net oil importers. 　

Source: Xinhua