{
  "title": "Africa’s Growth Puzzle: Better Ways to Fill Infrastructure Gaps",
  "publication": "IMF Blog, February 28, 2012",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps",
  "overlayPath": "/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps/index.md",
  "summary": "Publication date: February 28, 2012.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Overview",
      "content": "- Publication date: February 28, 2012.\n- Framing: Reviving or maintaining economic growth is a foremost concern for policymakers globally; required policies differ by region and country.\n- Central message: For many countries in Africa, weak infrastructure is an obstacle to raising growth."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Infrastructure challenges",
      "content": "- Described as a “tremendous infrastructure deficit” that:\n  - “affects all levels of society and all aspects.”\n  - “affects health, education and growth.”\n- Policy tradeoffs: Infrastructure needs compete with other pressing spending priorities, for example:\n  - “the need for infrastructure development, but we could be talking about how incredibly important it is to spend on AIDS, health, education, or any number of things.”"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Financing options and recommendations",
      "content": "- Suggested approach: Step up investment in infrastructure by augmenting traditional sources of financing (such as aid) with:\n  - foreign borrowing, and\n  - private investment.\n- Caution: Tapping alternative sources of financing is “not a cure all.”"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Risks and policy considerations",
      "content": "- Key cautionary point: Additional borrowing must be managed to ensure that:\n  - it can be repaid, and\n  - infrastructure investment translates into growth.\n- The interview discusses the pros and cons of foreign borrowing for infrastructure investment and the risks that need to be managed."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Additional content format",
      "content": "- The page references a full interview with Andrew Berg of the IMF’s Research Department and provides an audio option: “Listen to the interview here.”\n\nSource: Africa’s Growth Puzzle: Better Ways to Fill Infrastructure Gaps (February 28, 2012).\n\n---\n\n\n References\n\n- recent interview\n- IMF Survey online\n- Andrew Berg\n- here\n- http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/12/collier.htm\n- Antoinette Sayeh\n- Finance & Development\n- http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/03/Arslanalp.htm\n- IMF Survey\n- http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car072110b.htm\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/blogs/articles/2012/02/28/africas-growth-puzzle-better-ways-to-fill-infrastructure-gaps/index.json)",
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    "Published: February 28, 2012",
    "Publication date: February 28, 2012.",
    "Framing: Reviving or maintaining economic growth is a foremost concern for policymakers globally; required policies differ by region and country.",
    "Central message: For many countries in Africa, weak infrastructure is an obstacle to raising growth.",
    "Described as a “tremendous infrastructure deficit” that:",
    "Policy tradeoffs: Infrastructure needs compete with other pressing spending priorities, for example:",
    "Suggested approach: Step up investment in infrastructure by augmenting traditional sources of financing (such as aid) with:",
    "Caution: Tapping alternative sources of financing is “not a cure all.”",
    "Key cautionary point: Additional borrowing must be managed to ensure that:",
    "The interview discusses the pros and cons of foreign borrowing for infrastructure investment and the risks that need to be managed.",
    "The page references a full interview with Andrew Berg of the IMF’s Research Department and provides an audio option: “Listen to the interview here.”",
    "[recent interview](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2012/INT022212A.htm)",
    "[IMF Survey online](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/home.aspx)",
    "[Andrew Berg](http://blogs.imf.org/bloggers/andrew-g-berg/)",
    "[here](http://www.imf.org/external/Podcast/2012/Berg.mp3)",
    "[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/12/collier.htm](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/12/collier.htm)",
    "[Antoinette Sayeh](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/12/straight.htm)",
    "[Finance & Development](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/fda.htm)",
    "[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/03/Arslanalp.htm](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/03/Arslanalp.htm)",
    "[IMF Survey](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/index.aspx?type=car)",
    "[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car072110b.htm](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car072110b.htm)"
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