IMF Working Papers

The Economic Consequences of Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa

By Xiangming Fang, Siddharth Kothari, Cameron McLoughlin, Mustafa Yenice

October 30, 2020

Download PDF

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Xiangming Fang, Siddharth Kothari, Cameron McLoughlin, and Mustafa Yenice. The Economic Consequences of Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2020) accessed October 15, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

Sub-Saharan Africa has been marred by conflicts during the past several decades. While the intensity of conflicts in recent years is lower than that observed in the 1990s, the region remains prone to conflicts, with around 30 percent of the countries affected in 2019. In addition to immeasurable human suffering, conflicts impose large economic costs. On average, annual growth in countries in intense conflicts is about 2.5 percentage points lower, and the cumulative impact on per capita GDP increases over time. Furthermore, conflicts pose significant strains on countries’ public finances, lowering revenue, raising military spending, and shifting resources away from development and social spending.

Subject: Capital spending, Defense spending, Expenditure, Population and demographics, Public debt, Total expenditures

Keywords: Africa, Capital spending, Civil war, Conflict, Conflict country, Country classification, Defense spending, East Africa, Fiscal policy, Growth, Growth rate, Middle East, Military spending, No. of country, North Africa, Partner country growth, Per-capita GDP, Public finances, Sahel region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa country, Time effect, Total expenditures

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    29

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2020/221

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2020221

  • ISBN:

    9781513559667

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941