Publication: Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa : Issues and Recommendations
Date
1996-10
ISSN
Published
1996-10
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
This report, taking action for poverty
reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa, commissioned in 1993 by the
Bank's Africa region differs from others in that it
focuses on the Bank's operational program to reduce
poverty. It analyses the connections between its poverty
assessments, country assistance strategies and the content
of the lending program. It also examines actions that the
Bank, in partnership with governments and donors can take to
reduce poverty. The report reflects numerous discussions
with the Bank's development partners - Africans, the
donor community, and nongovernmental organizations. On
average, 45 to 50 percent of Sub-Saharan Africans live below
the poverty line - a much higher proportion than in any
region of the world except South Asia. In 1993, an estimated
40 percent lived on less than a dollar (US) a day. The study
reviewed the Bank's lending program for the fiscal
years 1992-97 to determine if it reflected statements that
poverty reduction is the Bank's overarching objective.
Projects were classified into three categories according to
their objectives: enabling growth, broadly-based services
and narrowly-targeted services for the poor. This made it
possible to examine the effectiveness of poverty
assessments, other economic analyses, country assistance
strategies and business plans as the basis for designing the
Bank's lending programs; assess whether the emphasis of
the Bank's lending program for poverty reduction needs
to be modified; and identify the actions most likely to
reduce poverty.
Citation
“World Bank. 1996. Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa : Issues and Recommendations. Africa Region Findings & Good Practice Infobriefs; No. 73. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/d4977d80-9e6c-54e8-adc8-c7a1c5aea3b5 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”