African Poverty at the Millennium : Causes, Complexities, and Challenges
The multifaceted nature of the poverty problem, and the widening gap between the levels of human well-being in Africa, compared with the other developing regions, are the central themes of this report. The key elements of poverty reduction strategi...
Main Authors: | , , , |
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Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
Washington, DC: World Bank
2013
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/03/1089478/african-poverty-millennium-causes-complexities-challenges http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13866 |
Summary: | The multifaceted nature of the poverty
problem, and the widening gap between the levels of human
well-being in Africa, compared with the other developing
regions, are the central themes of this report. The key
elements of poverty reduction strategies in the region are
reviewed, pointing at the need for accelerated economic
growth, if living standards are to improve in Africa. To
this end, the report outlines the growth of African poverty,
amid the variations between countries, which reflect
regional differences, such as higher levels of infant/child
mortality in West Africa, though this gap is narrowing,
partly because of the higher HIV/AIDS prevalence in eastern,
and southern Africa. It analyzes the causes of poverty,
through the interaction of cause and effect, neglect, and
policy implications, and examines economic stagnation as the
cause of much poverty, through an overview of growth vs.
distribution, the slow pace of growth in Africa, and the
impact of growth as it affects poverty groups differently.
However, it also points at the failure of both governments,
and markets in reducing poverty, stating political systems
do contribute to economic stagnation, whereas sustainable
social indicators require not only growing incomes, but
improved state service provision. The need for the donor
community to redefine poverty reduction is imminent, and the
report suggests more selective aid allocation, including
debt relief, in accordance with government commitments to
reducing poverty. |
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