The Quality of the Recent High-Growth Episode in Sub-Saharan Africa
February 26, 2013
Download PDF
More Formats on IMF eLibrary
Order a Print CopyDisclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate
Summary
The paper explores the quality of the recent high-growth episode in sub-Saharan Africa by examining the following two questions: (i) what has been the nature and pattern of SSA growth over the past 15 years and how does it compare with previous episodes? (ii) has this growth had an impact on socially desirable outcomes, for example, improvements in health, education and poverty indicators? To do this, the paper first examines various aspects of the fundamentals of growth in SSA—levels, volatility, sources, etc.—according to various country analytical groupings. Second, it explores the extent to which the growth has been accompanied by improvements in social indicators. The paper finds that the quality of growth in SSA over the past 15 years has unambiguously improved, although progress in social indicators has been uneven.
Subject: Education, Health, National accounts, Personal income, Poverty, Poverty reduction, Production, Total factor productivity
Keywords: Africa, Capita Real GDP growth, gross investment, health outcome, income difference, income gain, mortality rate, per capita income, Personal income, physical capital, poverty indicator, poverty outcome, Poverty reduction, poverty-growth nexus, poverty-reducing pattern, Quality of growth, Real GDP growth, social indicators, sub-Saharan Africa, TFP improvement, Total factor productivity, WP
Pages:
36
Volume:
2013
DOI:
Issue:
053
Series:
Working Paper No. 2013/053
Stock No:
WPIEA2013053
ISBN:
9781475551426
ISSN:
1018-5941
