Africa is suffering from the direct consequences of an exogenous crisis linked to excess deregulation and organization of wealth creation disconnected from production and the real economy. Through its prudent macro-economic management and the weakness of its financial infrastructure, Africa very scarcely operates on the virtual marketplace, much less dabble in speculation. As such, Africa is neither guilty nor responsible for the 2008 financial crisis, even though it bears the brunt of the collateral effects of economic externalities.
industrialized countries
Africa’s Alternative Response to the Global Financial Crisis
The Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) offers an alternative perspective on the responses to the consequences of the 2008 financial crisis in Africa. The paradigm of economic and financial dependency can no longer adequately explain the complexity of a systemic crisis facing African Nations. The under-mentioned prerequisites must be met: break with the palliative economy, reject the conception of Africa as the variable adjustment for post-industrial economies, be ever alert to the trap embedded in the “poverty reduction” concept which is by no means synonymous with shared wealth creation, neutralize straight-jacket solutions considered as “universal solutions”, etc.
The Economics of Failed, Failing and Fragile States
The world is experiencing an important number of countries which are qualified as failed, failing or fragile States. One of the characteristics of poor countries lies in both the unhealthy governance provided by whatever is qualified as State and a lack of productive structure.
Marshall Plan for Africa: produce now, pay later
The launch of the report of the Commission for Africa (CfA) entitled “Our Common Interest” at the British Museum in London last month revealed that the CfA appears to be primarily concerned with injecting more equality in the manner that the West conducts business with Africa.
COMMISSION FOR AFRICA : Produce now, Pay later : Towards a real Marshall Plan for Africa
While attending the launching of the report of the Commission for Africa (CfA) titled “our common interest” in the impressive building of the British Museum in London on the 11th March 2005, I felt that something historical is taking place here with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the driving seats. One should be clear. The report is on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). North Africa is not eligible.
Global Value Chains and Production Networks : Promoting Capability formation in South Africa
This paper is an attempt to “operationalize” suggested UNIDO policy instruments to benchmark countries’ competitive industrial performance, taking South Africa as an example. It draws from the experience of the African Productive Capacity Initiative adopted by the African Ministers of Industry. The Initiative would become the national pillars of the respective sub-regional and national programmes in Africa on productive capacity and should help to identify the comparative advantages of regions, countries, products in Africa, using the global and local value chains approach as well as South-South Cooperation. Competition, innovation and productivity growth should take into consideration objectives such as the reduction of poverty contained in the Millennium Development Goals and social cohesion.