IMF Working Papers

The Quality of the Recent High-Growth Episode in Sub-Saharan Africa

By Marcelo Martinez, Montfort Mlachila

February 26, 2013

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Marcelo Martinez, and Montfort Mlachila. The Quality of the Recent High-Growth Episode in Sub-Saharan Africa, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2013) accessed September 18, 2024
Disclaimer: 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

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    36

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

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  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2013/053

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2013053

  • ISBN:

    9781475551426

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941