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Economic Integration As A Contribution To Sustainable Development In The Horn Of Africa, Mengsteab Tesfayohannes, Hany Besada

Journal of African Policy Studies

The Horn of Africa is one of the most geopolitically important regions of the world, with great human and natural resource potential. Unfortunately, the region is notorious for its crises and instability. This is due to internal and external destabilising factors related to ethnicity, tribalism, resource sharing, poverty, superpower rivalry, porous borders and hegemonic desires. Although it differs slightly between countries, the average per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of the region is less than $200. Gender disparity in education and economic activity is prevalent in the region at all levels. Over 75% of the labour force is engaged in …

The Influence Of Christianity And Islam On Educational Attainment In Africa: Using Literacy Rates As An Indicator, Natalia A. Castaner

Journal of African Policy Studies

This is a quantitative research study using current data from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Member States through its Institute for Statistics (UIS) annual data collection for the 57 countries in Africa. This study shows that a religious factor, i.e., Christianity and Islam, has a significant effect on the levels of educational attainment within each specific country in Africa. This study illustrates the need to consider the impact religion has on educational attainment in Africa.

Democracy And Poverty: The Nigerian Experience, Tonyesima Furro

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study examines the plight of the poor within the new democratic rule in Nigeria. Since the inception of democracy in 1999, there has been a sustained prosperity in terms of oil windfall that swells government's revenues on the order of over $30 billion annually. For the first time in over 20 years, the GDP growth rate is 7.5 percent. The nation has accumulated an impressive foreign exchange reserve of $60 billions. This reserve is the highest ever in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this financial outlay has not resulted in improved standard of living of the broad majority of the people. …

Beyond The Geometry Of State Sovereignty: Regionalism And Non-State Actors In The Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Lesley Blaauw

Journal of African Policy Studies

The collapse of the Cold War and accelerated globalization have reshaped the international political economy and in the process ignited a new impetus for regionalism. This paper posits that despite the transformation of SADCC into SADC, regional integration in southern Africa remains quintessentially statist with minimal (if any) involvement of civil society organizations and the private sector. This suggests that states in SADC remain crucial in lending scope and providing guidance about the content and character of regional integration. There is, therefore, in SADC, not yet a realization about the complimentary roles to be played by states, civil society organizations …

Falsification Of Population Census Data In A Heterogenous Nigerian State: The Fourth Republic Example, Bamgbose J. Adele

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines critically the controversy surrounding the recently concluded population census in Nigeria which came up between March 21 and March 25, 2006. While population census is a deliberate attempt to enumerate people within a delimited territory at a specific time so as to determine their number, their contribution over the land area and their basic socio-demographic and economic characteristics, many of such exercises have been juggled especially in Nigeria. Many infallible proofs for several scores of years have been showing that census taking in Nigeria has been surrounded by deliberate falsehood with the intents and purposes to derive …

The Roles Of Human Capital And Infrastructure On Fdi Inflow: Empirical Evidence From Sub Saharan Africa, Alemu Aye Mengistu

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper analyzes the impacts of physical infrastructure and human capital on FDI inflow in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Towards this effect a panel data of 960 observations of 32 countries from 1975 to 2004 have been analyzed using alternative panel estimation methods. Accordingly, the study revealed that human capital and infrastructure are indeed the key determinants for enhancing inward FDI. However, the evidence shows that the level of human capital and infrastructure are below the threshold level in SSA to play a positive role in attracting FDI and materialize a structural change in the economy. Thus, investment on education and …

Electronic Payments In Sub Saharan Africa: Will Mobile Telephony Accounts Systems Be The Next Leapfrog Technology For Development?, Donald Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Population Increase, Environment, Food Access And Development In Africa: The Role Of The African Union, Amado J. Kaba

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the impact of the massive population increase in Africa in the post World War II era and the environmental challenges the continent confronts in trying to feed such a high number of people. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section examines the demographics of Africa, which show that the continent has increased its total population by 750 million people from 1950 to 2008. The second section of this paper then presents arguments by scholars pertaining to the environmental challenges, especially for agriculture, facing Africa as it finds ways to feed this massive number of …

Information, Public Policy Analysis And Sustainable Development In Nigeria, Joseph E. Imhanlahimi, M. O. Ikeanyibe

Journal of African Policy Studies

Information and public policy analysis are critical factors in adequate public policy formulation, implementation and evaluation if the public good is to be achieved in Nigeria. This paper has carried out a critical examination of the interface between information and the public policy process and the effect on public policy analysis and has found that there is a crucial interrelationship among them in order to promote sustainable development. The paper found that the interrelationship is however, seriously interfered with or obstructed by a variety of dominant constraints. The constraints include inadequate human capital, financial resources, large-scale secrecy in government business, …

Of Corruption And Anti-Corruption Strategies In Nigeria: The More You Look The Less You See, Sylvester Olubani Fajonyomi

Journal of African Policy Studies

This statement from the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reflects the outcome of the regime's efforts at fighting corruption in its first four years (1999-2003) in office: "Some members of the Nigerian public have expressed their opinion to the effect (that) our anti-corruption crusade in the last four years has been deficient in credibility because it appeared to lack the support of the Federal Executive Council who only rarely expressed their support in public. The situation has to change with the new cabinet. Each and every one of you must do more than give a nodding support for …

Political Parties And Factionalism In Nigeria's Fourth Republic: Their Impact On Political Stability, Adele J. Bamgbose

Journal of African Policy Studies

The desire to transform a nation's political system through organized political parties forms the bedrock of a genuine patriotism to move the country forward. When such patriotism becomes pseudo in nature through factions which produce strife leading to stresses and strains and other discord of malfunctioning organizations, the grand political edifice constructed through a genuine patriotism begins to crumble, and in a poetical manner, things will begin to fall apart and the center will no longer hold. This in a nutshell describes the Nigerian party system from inception. Thus, the enthusiasm that metamorphosed into the creation of political parties in …

Challenges And Opportunities Of Agricultural Research In The Sudan, Allam Ahmed

Journal of African Policy Studies

National research institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are under increasing governmental pressure to make direct and visible contributions to national research and development strategies. Although Sudan is a predominately agricultural economy, crop productivity is extremely low and does not exceed thirty percent of the level attained in research farms. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework for analyzing problems and identifying opportunities to strengthen African research institutions' role in development-oriented research. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the implementation capacity constraints, which exist in formal agricultural research, and the impact this has on …

Book Reviews, Ogwo Jombo Umeh, Abraham Mbachirin

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Standardization Or Modification? Uk Firms' Marketing Strategy In Africa, Maktoba Omar, A. Vindelyn Smith-Hillman

Journal of African Policy Studies

The paper aims to identify those factors that influence UK multinational corporations' policy of standardisation within African economies. This is an important strategic issue as foreign direct investment within Africa represents a small but growing proportion of total FDI inflows. Regression analysis reveals that political risk is statistically significant as are cultural factors, whilst regulation proved to statistically insignificant.

Efficiency Processes In Egyptian Enterprises: Current Status In A Transition Economy, Samir S. Youssef

Journal of African Policy Studies

Taking the view that business organizations are essentially resource transformation agents aimed at satisfying societal needs for goods and services and, in effect, improving quality of life, this paper examines the impact of the transition stage forces on the efficiency processes in business organizations within the Egyptian economy, an economy that is still developing free market institutions.

Sustainable Agricultural Development In Nigeria: A Question Of Biotechnology, Environmental Conservation, Or Indigenous Knowledge?, Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor

Journal of African Policy Studies

Nigeria, like most developing countries, depends on agriculture primarily for subsistence and export revenues. However, Nigeria is confronted with food security challenges. Several factors have contributed to this problem, such as demographic trends, crude farming methods, deforestation, the oil boom and public policies that are not consistent with the socio-economic and political realities of the state.

Given these challenges, this inquiry will examine the socio-economic and environmental implications of recent recommendations by development agencies such as the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP), which has prescribed the use of biotechnology to address Africa's food security problems. This recommendation appears to be …

Sustainable Tourism In Kenya: An Analysis Of Tourism Policy Currently Under Consideration, Jacquelyne Muhati

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines tourism policy in Kenya in the context of sustainable tourism development. It considers the critical factors that might hinder the development of the sector and highlights the shortcomings in the policy development. It will give a general review of policy development and its significance in Kenya. There will also be an analysis of the key issues in the current policy development in Kenya, and finally, consideration is given to the aspects of policy that the current policy makers should pay attention to in relation to the strategic approach to sustainable tourism development. With the growing economic significance …

The Future Of Monetary Integration In Southern Africa: Lessons From The European Union?, Richard Dutu, Donald L. Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

The 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has a long-term goal of becoming a full common market. A major component of fuller integration would be a common currency arrangement. The states of southern Africa, however, face a dilemma: While the region already sustains a successful and long-running monetary union, the Common Monetary Area (CMA, known as the "Rand Zone"), the region's leading economic integration organization, the SADC, is opposed to joining the union.

The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA)—a less successful, but rival economic organization—favors, for its part, a monetary union. Is the SADC ready for monetary …

Nigeria, Globalization And The Development Of Underdevelopment In The Third World, Kema Lrogbe

Journal of African Policy Studies

There are two contending opinions on the issue of globalization. There are some observers who believe that globalization has brought rapid prosperity to the underdeveloped countries while others argue that globalization serves the needs of the metropolitan countries at the expense of the peripheral countries. This paper posits that globalization is economic terrorism. Using a dependency theory to analyze the asymmetric relationships between the developed and the underdeveloped countries, the writer applies some economic indicators to highlight the widening gap between the two worlds. In doing so, it is argued that the socio-economic and political structure of the peripheral countries …

Globalization And Sub-Saharan Africa: Will The Promise Of Shared Prosperity Ever Be Realized?, Donald L. Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

Globalization, the accelerated economic integration among nations, clearly has brought benefits in terms of worldwide economic growth. However, these benefits have not been evenly distributed, and income disparities between rich and poor countries, and even within countries, have increased. This is most pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa. Globalization was supposed to provide gains for all, or at least the gains were supposed to outweigh the losses. Despite adherence to market liberalization and the rapid pace of globalization, during the past three decades sub-Saharan Africa has continued to be marginalized in the world economic system. At the same time, however, many other …

Sudan-Ethiopia Relations And Islamization Policy, Solomon Hailu

Journal of African Policy Studies

The central focus of this paper is on Sudan's islamization policy under Al-Bashire's regime and its regional impact. In the past, some African countries have officially protested against Sudan's Muslim fundamentalism policy while other states have officially broken relations with Sudan and have come close to taking military measures against it. Ethiopia has become one of Sudan's neighbors which had her relations severely stained due to Sudan's cross-border Islamic expansionist agenda. The study will analyze the fact that the quest for Ethiopia's internal opposition have always been characterized as having fully political motives rather than religious ambitions. It would appear …

The Technological Dimension Of Africa's Crsis Of Development: An Agenda For The 21st Century, Osita Agbu

Journal of African Policy Studies

This article critically examined the ways that technological underdevelopment had contributed to the deepening crises of Africa's technological backwardness. Adopting a holistic and historical approach, it tried to show how technological underdevelopment and the dearth of technologically driven approaches to addressing developmental questions had adversely affected the continent.

The article opines that beyond the technological is the fundamental understanding that the problem which Africa is facing is not just a technical one, but involves also a polical dimension which must not be ignored. It sought to explicate the question of whose technology for what, and in whose interest? It maintained …

National Population Policy And Fertility Decline In Senegal, Keita Ohashi

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study reviews the relationship between population policy and fertility decline in Senegal. In 1988, Senegal officially announced a national population policy, the first such population policy declaration among Francophone sub-Saharan African countries. Shortly thereafter, in the early 1990s, Senegal's total fertility rate did in fact start to decline. The establishment of the national population policy, however, did not directly influence the current fertility decline. Rather, effective population policies in the areas of education, reproductive health, and family planning services together are likely to determine the pace of overall fertility decline in Senegal. In this study, current fertility trends are …

Fertility Transition In West Africa, Samuel Agyei-Mensah

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the fertility transition in West Africa against the background of recent declines in fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two major questions are addressed: First, what is the status of the West African fertility transition at the end of the 20th century? Second, what are the facilitators of the West African fertility transition? Using data from Demographic and Health Surveys as well as localized studies the paper provides insights into the historical pattern of the West African fertility transition. It attempts to push the interpretation of the West African fertility transition into new theoretical directions by highlighting the importance …

Fertility Decline And Family Changes In Sub-Saharan Africa, Therese Locoh

Journal of African Policy Studies

Sub-Saharan Africa has until recently been considered a continent of steady high fertility levels. However, a consistent effort in new statistical surveys has produced a substantial body of data indicating that the continent is now entering the fertility transition stage at various paths depending on the countries, and that the transition is occurring more rapidly among the urban than rural population in each country. This paper examines the impact of these changes on nuptiality patterns, intergenerational relations, gender relations and empowerment of women. It reveals certain trends in the African family: Traditional family norms are challenged, and new types of …

The Policy Dilemmas Of Pesticides Management And Disposal In Tanzania, Paul J. Kaiser, John C. Morris

Journal of African Policy Studies

The purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate and analyze pesticides management and disposal in Tanzania employing a theoretical approach that emanates from current research on public policy implementation. This case demonstrates that the national and international context of public policy-making and inter-governmental agency cooperation and coordination are essential to understanding the current environmental situation in the country. Given the paucity of published, African case studies used in the theory-building process, this study also attempts to contribute to strengthening the empirical legitimacy and theoretical soundness of the comparative method of social scientific inquiry by including African realities in scholarly …

Feminism, Children And Environmental Policy In Zimbabwe, Saliwe Kawewe

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study utilizes a feminist perspective in demonstrating how gender intersects with socioeconomic forces of over a century of patriarchal environmental endeavors such as global modernization: imperialism and colonialism as conditions that have historically perpetuated environmental degradation in Zimbabwe as elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. The study examines how environmental policies of both pre and post independent Zimbabwe have had devastating consequences on the poor and marginalized, particularly women and girl children of this Third World in the nation. Additionally, the study proposes gender mainstreaming as a social networking model for socioeconomic and environmental sustainability through grassroots indigenous participation, capacity building, …

The Tortured Road Towards Peace In The Western Sahara, Festus Ohaegbulam

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper attempts to provide a succinct background to the origins of the conflict in Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, between the Kingdom of Morocco and nationalists of the territory. It identifies the broad regional and international ramifications of the continuing conflict, which began in 1975, and describes efforts made by the Organization of African Unity [OAU] and the United Nations to resolve the conflict. It focuses most of its analysis on the major obstacles to the conflict's resolution, particularly the policy of the United States. The analysis shows that the greatest obstacle to the resolution of the conflict …

African Security In The Information Age, Uri J. Fisher, M. Shane Smith

Journal of African Policy Studies

This article examines Africa's place in the information revolution and the security implications that flow from this relationship. All states in Africa now have Internet access, although the continent is still characterized by a lack of infrastructure, resources, and technology. We examine the many initiatives underway in Africa aimed at enhancing information and communication technologies. The African Network Initiative, the African Information Society Initiative, and UNESCO's Regional Information Network for Africa are only a few of the many that are trying to increase the continent's connectivity. Increased African security in economic and military matters will be dependent on the continent's …

Warlords, Resources And War In Africa: Who Arms, Who Pays And Who Trains?, Rasheed Draman

Journal of African Policy Studies

Since the end of the Cold War, the nature of conflict has changed. A disturbing trend that has emerged with that change is warlords/rebel movements, resources, and greed. Today most conflicts are not driven by "loud discourse of grievance" but by the "silent voice of greed." While it is evident that most warlords rely on the resources they capture, they also rely on external governments to finance their war effort. This policy-oriented paper adds to the ongoing policy and academic debate by focusing mainly on the sources of arms, financial resources, and logistics for rebel movements, particularly in Africa. The …