Economic Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa

Economic Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: Ajay Chhibber
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 360
Release: 1991
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

The papers in this volume are divided into eight broad and interrelated topics that concern African economic reform : exchange rate policy, parallel markets, fiscal deficits and expenditure policy, financial sector policy, trade policy, regional integration, human capital and entrepreneurship, and growth oriented adjustment. The editors of this collection of papers submit that seven conclusions can be drawn from these papers : 1) a realistic exchange rate policy is crucial for growth; 2) returns to investment are typically very low in Africa; 3) trade diversification is necessary to get away from the problem faced by many African countries of declining terms of trade for their major exports; 4) the role of the informal financial system in resource mobilization and allocation needs to be recognized; 5) formal efforts at regional integration in Africa have failed so far; 6) incentive policies are an important element of the package needed to restore growth, but they are not enough; and 7) the level of human capital development has been very low.

Trade and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Trade and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: J. H. Frimpong-Ansah
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Total Pages: 440
Release: 1991
Genre: Africa, Sub-Saharan
ISBN: 9780719034787

Results of a research project on "Trade and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa", organized by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Papers focus on export performance, the international trade system and the effects of various policies.

Exchange Rate Liberalization in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries Successes, Failures, and Lessons

Exchange Rate Liberalization in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries Successes, Failures, and Lessons
Author: Mr.Nils Øyvind Mæhle
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 71
Release: 2013-01-31
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1557756694

Many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries liberalized their economies in the 1980s and early 1990s. This paper reviews the foreign exchange regime reforms in selected SSA, and their associated macroeconomic policies and economic performance during and after these reforms were undertaken. Before liberalization, most of the reviewed countries were characterized by extensive foreign exchange rationing, sizeable black market premiums, and declining per capita real income. Today, the countries that successfully reformed look markedly different. Rationing and parallel market spreads are a distant memory, and per capita income has increased sharply.

Trade Policy Reform Implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Trade Policy Reform Implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: John Nash
Publisher:
Total Pages: 52
Release: 1993
Genre: Africa, Sub-Saharan
ISBN:

Mauritius and Ghana made greater strides than other Sub-Saharan African countries in trade reform. Some Sub-Saharan countries made greater progress that was later reversed -- either dramatically (Madagascar and Zambia) or incrementally (Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal). But others (Uganda) have shown significant recent progress. By virtually every measure, the CommunauteÌ financieÌ€re Africaine (franc zone) countries as a group have not been as succeccful as the non- franc- zone countries in implementing trade reform. Changes in trade policy -- including nontariff barriers -- can be quantified in terms of "tariff equivalence" using a new method described in this paper.

The Reform of Mechanisms for Foreign Exchange Allocation

The Reform of Mechanisms for Foreign Exchange Allocation
Author: Eliana La Ferrara
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 64
Release: 1994
Genre: Foreign exchange
ISBN:

The paper provides an analysis of the mechanisms for foreign exchange allocation used in trade policy reform and an assessment of their effectiveness. The case is strong for avoiding delay in moving to full currency convertibility in dismantling or modifying foreign exchange controls. Movement to a unified free market for exchange would be facilitated by changes in policies and in donor practice, so exchange can be channeled through private sellers.