Policy making

Natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa : assets and vulnerabilities

Upphovsperson:	Holmberg, Johan
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År:	2008
Ämnesord:	natural resources, Climate change, Environmental effects, Agricultural sector, Sustainable development, Development strategy, Policy making, Africa South of Sahara, Sweden, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP

Africa is rich in oil and mineral resources, but has severe shortages of water and suffers from an accelerating pressure on its arable land and forests. Climate change is expected to cause major problems for African populations with increase of water stress and severely compromised agricultural production. Local food supplies will be negatively affected and, towards the end of the 21st century, sea-level rise will affect low-lying coastal areas. The report argues that the poorest countries are most vulnerable to climate change and that Africa is particularly exposed. Sweden should consider full integration of climate change adaptation strategies in its development cooperation with African partners. This will likely mean that some existing priorities will be further accentuated, such as needs to provide water and sanitation services to the poor, raising agricultural productivity, and curbing deforestation.

The African economy and its role in the world economy

Upphovspersoner:	Bigsten, Arne | Durevall, Dick
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År:	2008
Ämnesord:	Economic performance, international economic relations, international trade, Capital movements, Globalization, Structural adjustment, Economic and social development, Policy making, Africa South of Sahara, Sweden, Business and economics, Ekonomi

In a broad survey this issue of Current African Issues presents a multifaceted picture of the current state of the African economy. After a period of falling per capita incomes that started in the 1970s, Africa finally saw a turnaround from about 1995. The last few years have seen average per capita incomes in Africa grow by above 3 per cent per year on average, partly due to the resource boom but also due to improved economic policies. Africa receives more aid per capita than any other major region in the world and there is a significantly positive effect of aid on growth. One of the most notable aspects of the current process of globalisation is the increase in trade between Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, particularly China and India. The authors conclude with a call for policy coherence among donors. The politically most problematic areas for policy change of those discussed in the paper are not aid policy but trade policy and the European Union CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). This is a challenge to EU policy makers, since the latter areas are probably the most important to change if we take our commitment to development seriously.