Publication: Aid and Reform in Africa : Lessons from Ten Case Studies
Date
2001-04
ISSN
Published
2001-04
Author(s)
Abstract
This book synthesizes the findings from
ten case studies that investigate whether, when, and how
foreign aid affected economic policy in Africa, and reveals
the range of African policy experience. Results varied
enormously, for example, while Ghana and Uganda were
successful reformers that grew rapidly reducing poverty,
Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia have shown significant
reform recently, but its sustainability remains to be seen,
and, in other countries, policies changed little, or even
worsened. Based on the World Bank's Country Policy and
Institutional Assessment, the study relates foreign aid in
the 1990s, to a measure of overall economic policy, a broad
measure that covers macroeconomic management, as well as
effectiveness of the public sector in providing essential
services for growth, and poverty reduction. In assessing
aid, and reform policy, the study subdivides these countries
in three groups: the post-socialist reformers (Ethiopia,
Mali and Tanzania); the mixed reformers (Cote d'Ivoire,
Kenya and Zambia), and the non-reformers (The Democratic
Republic of Congo - Zaire - and Nigeria). Although defining
"good policy", and how to measure it may be
controversial, research and experience established a fair
knowledge: absence of high inflation, functioning foreign
exchange, openness to foreign trade, effective rule of law,
and delivery of key services. Conclusions stipulate that key
to successful reform, is a political movement for change;
that key to beneficial aid is its disbursement alongside
actual policy improvements; and, that technical assistance,
and policy dialogue should continue a high level of finance
in productive environments.
Citation
“Devarajan, Shantayanan; Dollar, David R.; Holmgren, Torgny. 2001. Aid and Reform in Africa : Lessons from Ten Case Studies. © Washington, DC: World Bank. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/f4c55c19-9e28-58f9-a98a-574209e715c2 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”