Good Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Lessons

Books, March 18, 2022

Source details

Canonical URL: Good Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Lessons

Governance and corruption issues have taken the center stage in international discussions, especially after the adoption by the IMF in 2018 of a new framework for engagement on governance and corruption.
Sound institutions that guarantee integrity in the management of public affairs are critical on the path toward higher and more inclusive growth.
Corruption undermines the quality of institutions, weakens the effectiveness of government programs, and compromises social trust in government policies.
Countries that improved their governance systems are reaping a “governance dividend”; governance-enhancing reformist countries in sub-Saharan Africa include Botswana, Rwanda, and Seychelles.
Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Angola demonstrate that important reforms are possible, including in fragile environments.
The importance of good governance has acquired even more importance as countries try to introduce policies to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Special attention to governance in an emergency context, including situations associated with conflict, other health crises and natural disasters, is therefore essential.
Innovation and new technologies are critical instruments that policymakers can use in their efforts to improve governance and transparency.

Governance-enhancing reform can deliver measurable benefits (a “governance dividend”) for growth and inclusiveness.
Reform examples in sub-Saharan Africa:
- Botswana
- Rwanda
- Seychelles
- Liberia
- Sierra Leone
- Angola
Emergency contexts heighten governance risks and the need for targeted governance measures:
- COVID-19 pandemic responses require special governance attention.
- Situations associated with conflict, other health crises, and natural disasters demand governance safeguards.
Digital innovation and new technologies are highlighted as critical tools for improving governance and transparency.

Strengthen institutions that guarantee integrity in public affairs management to support higher and more inclusive growth.
Prioritize governance considerations when designing and implementing emergency responses (pandemics, conflicts, natural disasters).
Leverage innovation and new technologies to enhance transparency and effectiveness of public programs.
Focus anti-corruption and governance reforms even in fragile and conflict-affected environments, drawing on examples from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Angola.

Publication date: March 18, 2022
Editors: Monique Newiak, Mr. Alex Segura-Ubiergo, and Mr. Abdoul A Wane (, eds)
Pages: 347
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513584058.071
Stock No: GGSSAEA
ISBN: 9781513584058
Subjects: Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), Auditing, Commodities, Corruption, Crime, Cross country analysis, Development, Oil, Public financial management (PFM), Regional economics
Keywords: Africa, Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), Auditing, Caribbean, Corruption, corruption perception, digitization, emergencies, financing, fragile and conflict-afflicted countries, Global, Governance, governance challenge, governance indicator, government effectiveness, government policy, growth, Middle East, Oil, pandemic, resource-rich countries, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, tax official
Available actions on the landing page: Download PDF; More Formats on IMF eLibrary; Order a Print Copy; Create Citation
Citation preview (Chicago): Monique Newiak, Mr. Alex Segura-Ubiergo, and Mr. Abdoul A Wane (, eds). Good Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Lessons, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2022) accessed 9/19/2026, https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513584058.071

Content derived from the IMF publication landing page for "Good Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Lessons."