Afcfta 2018: The Continental Free Trade Area, Neo-Liberalism And Africa's Resource Curses, Lenin Tinashe Chisaira

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

In March 2018, 44 Member States of the African Union signed up to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in Kigali, Rwanda. There are many legal, social and policy issues to consider whenever Africa discusses either free trade or resource governance. There have been grave economic miscalculations in Africa's history. The article argues for a central emphasis on Pan-African economic and social solidarity and takes a frank look at some of the fundamental principles guiding contemporary neo-liberal economic institutions and critiques how these have treated Africa and African resources. The article describes some of the challenges and opportunities presented …

When The State Turns Against Its Own Citizens: Revisiting Police Brutality As An Obstacle To Peace And Development In Zimbabwe, Tendaishe Tlou

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This analysis comes at a strategic yet uncertain period in Zimbabwe when the nation is going through a political transition. A lot ofuncertainty surrounds the outcome of this transition. Since the 1980s, Zimbabwe has been entrenched in a plethora of crises including vast human rights abuses hinged on pervasive police brutality. The police have increasingly become predatory against the Zimbabwean populace, followed by disappearances of human rights defenders and activists. Elections have always been marred by political violence perpetrated by both State and non-state actors to the detriment of human rights and good governance. Whilst the leadership in the governing …

Escaping On Uncertain Tides To Uncertain Jurisdictions: Explaining Root Causes Of A Persistent Trend Across The Mediterranean, Thomas Brown

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Thousands have died in their quest to cross the Mediterranean to some countries in mainland Europe. These voyages have been attributed to many believable reasons: escaping violence or economic hardship according to reports by transnational non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations. Can we attribute these voyages, wholly, to economic factors and conflicts? What is the root cause of these travels that defy rationality? I argue in this paper that accounts by migrants is just like showing us a storey building standing at its basement. And that the root cause of escaping on uncertain tides to uncertain jurisdictions is fundamentally the politics …

Girl Child Education For Inclusive Sustainable Development, Mollin Mandaza

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The socio-economic marginalization of females derived from gender disparities, lack of access and quality education leads to subsequent youth unemployment, working poverty, poor standards of living, diminished career choices, unequal salaries and economic exclusion. It is therefore imperative for leaders and governments to invest in girl-child education for Africa's development by castigating gender-based violence, sexual discrimination, gender stereotypes and obliterating early-child marriage. The blatant repudiation of girl's fundamental rights to access equal and quality education is the indictment of a continent that has failed young women and their broader continuous struggle for emancipation, equality and power. This paper lays out …

Hydropower Development And Regional Integration In The Greater Horn Of Africa, Temesgen Aschenek Zeleke

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Inadequate and poor regional infrastructure networks posed an impact for escalation of insecurity and political instability in the greater horn of Africa. To deal with such problems, filling resource gaps through sharing resources in the way that maximizes mutual benefit is the major approach to be implemented. In this respect, fostering interdependence through infrastructural development of power interconnections is a best mechanism for energy led integration in the region. The purpose of this article is to analyze the major roles that Ethiopian hydropower development is playing in regional integration schemes. To this end, qualitative research methodology is employed to investigate …

Employability Education: The Nexus Between Education And Market Needs, Elmohanad Elsayad

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This paper aims to focus on the literature of employability skills education. The research done investigates the compelling reasons behind the need for employability skills education as a means to achieving economic development. First, the research shows us evidence that there is a gap between education and market needs. It uncovers how the phenomenon of a massive increase in enrollment rates did not actually achieve the desired outcomes in terms of economic development. Following this, the research shows us that the need for anew strategy to connect studying with reality has become pressing. Next, the research further digs into the …

Policy Implications Of The Disruptive Impact Of China's Slowdown On Commodity Trade With The Developing World, Peaceful Mathebula

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The economic relations between China and developing mineral-rich countries have primarily been on the bases of the mineral resources of these developing countries. Hence, China's rapid economic growth ofrecent had positive disruptive impacts on these developing States. Conversely, China's economic recline more recently has had adverse, disruptive effects on these developing States. Based on the findings of the spillover effects of this decline in SA's mineral export value to China, this paper aims to instigate the policy-makers of these developing States (including SA) to see the need for their current policies to be re-assessed. This re-assessment is for determining whether …

The Impact Of Entrepreneurship Education On Self-Employment Initiatives Among Fourah Bay College Students, Kamara Abdulsalam

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

Entrepreneurship education is a catalyst for the diminution of unemployment in Sierra Leone. The study evaluates the causal nexus between entrepreneurship education and self-employment initiatives among Fourah Bay College students. Using regression analysis, data collected were primary data through the administration of questionnaires and simple percentage ranking techniques were used to analyze the questionnaires. The result shows that entrepreneurship education is an important policy and it has positive effect on self-employment initiatives. From the study, the following are some of the recommendations: The University of Sierra Leone should establish a center for entrepreneurship and innovation that will offer degree programs …

Foreign Direct Investment Regulation: Should Africa Avoid Performance Requirement?, Marga F. Angerasa

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

This article assesses how African states should regulate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In particular, it focuses on whether African states should employ or avoid performance requirements as mechanism of regulation of FDI. The imposition of performance requirements, also known as operational requirements, in IIAs remains controversial. There is no consensus either on their effectiveness in helping countries to promote development, or in their distorting effects. Some host developing countries consider performance requirements to be an effective policy tool for enhancing the benefits of FDI and consider their disciplining to be undue interference with their policy space. In this paper argues …

Young African Leaders Forum (Yalf) Projects, Teresa Abila

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) is an independent pan-African organisation whose major objective is to effectuate sustainable development in every African nation. We achieve this by detecting the root causes of Africa's developmental problems, researching and proffering workable solutions to them as well as executing these strategic solutions. We also work to empower Africa's young people to participate actively in the society so that they can improve their own lives by representing and solving their needs whilst also advocating for those of others. Our organization is incorporated and headquartered in South Africa - and has members and representations in …

Challenges Of Sustainable Urban Governance In Africa, Urban Informality In Zimbabwe, Darlington Tshuma, Clifton Dawanyi

Young African Leaders Journal of Development

The paper discusses the challenges associated with sustainable urban governance in Zimbabwe. Urban formality in Zimbabwe, while it has roots in the colonial period, intensified in the last decade of the 20th century with the adoption of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) that sought to restructure the economy through massive cost cutting budgetary measures. It later exacerbated post-2000 with the decline of the formal economy which threw thousands into the informal economy. In the face of growing urban informality, the governement of Zimbabwe has exhibited a hostile attitude towards the informal sector, often inconsistent with the situtation obtaining on the ground. …

Breaking The Poverty Trap In Africa: A Comparative Perspective On Poverty Alleviation, Abu Girma Moges

International Journal of African Development

An increasing number of African countries have recently registered improved rates of economic growth. Translating economic growth into poverty reduction, however, requires putting into place policies and institutions that promote a sustainable and shared economic growth process. The degree of success in poverty reduction depends largely on balancing the process of economic growth and the judicious pattern of income distribution so that an increasing share of the population benefits from the growth process and engages in more productive endeavors. Building the necessary policy and institutional framework to promote sustainable and shared economic growth is central in breaking the poverty trap …

Indigenous Knowledge And The Development Debate In Africa, Fidelis Ewane, Samson Ajagbe

International Journal of African Development

This research employs Bourdieu’s theory of habitus to explain the disposition of the donor community to integrate indigenous knowledge systems and practices into development projects. The theory’s objectivist perspective specifies the mechanism that links structural conditioning to social practice and regularities. It holds that power is culturally and symbolically created, and it is constantly re-legitimized through the interplay of agency and structure. This facilitates an analysis of the development field as social space characterized by indigenous and donor power relations. It argues that the reinforcement of indigenous knowledge as the main channel for development will generate transferable local capacities and …

Does Inclusive Growth Matter For Regional Integration In Africa? An Empirical Assessment, Mohammed Shuaibu, Mamello Nchake

International Journal of African Development

Inclusive growth is an important channel through which African countries can foster higher regional integration especially through trade. This is because many African countries are characterized by exclusive growth, small and fragmented domestic markets that are landlocked and often prone to external shocks. Using an augmented gravity specification, this paper conducts an empirical investigation of the relationship between regional integration and inclusive growth in Africa. The adapted model is estimated using ordinary least squares, Pseudo Poisson maximum likelihood estimator and the Blundell-Bond system generalized method of moment estimator. The empirical results reveal that inclusive growth plays a vital role towards …

The Impact Of Motivation On Employee Performance In Selected Insurance Companies In Nigeria., Oluwayomi A. Ekundayo Mr.

International Journal of African Development

Motivation refers to a complexity of forces that inspires a person at work to intensify his desire and willingness to use his potentialities to perform in order to achieve organizational goals or objectives. This study investigates the relationship between motivation and the level of employee performance as applied to some selected insurance companies in Lagos. The study has three main objectives: to evaluate the effects of motivation on employee performance in some selected insurance companies, to assess motivational factors that can influence employee performance, and to recommend possible policies and innovations for better performance of the employees and increased profitability. …

Sustainable Energy Transitions: Changing The ‘Business As Usual’ Trajectory In Sub-Saharan African Urban Areas, Mark Borchers, Megan Euston-Brown, Simon Bawakyillenuo, Alex Ndibwami, Simon Batchelor

International Journal of African Development

This paper describes a novel approach to helping municipal authorities address the sustainable energy challenges associated with rapidly growing urban populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Population in Africa is expected to double between 2010 and 2040, and substantial urban growth is expected in small and medium-sized cities where local government capacity constraints are most serious. A long-term partnership between municipal authorities, NGOs, and academics can build capacity, and a prescribed strategy can lead to progress on the ground. In order to contribute to future action, the paper argues for a greater role of local government in sustainable energy transitions, and presents …

The Tigray Identity And The Paradox In The Securitization Of The Oromo And Amhara Identities In Ethiopia, Anwar Hassen Tsega

International Journal of African Development

Tigray’s ethnic nationality is the minority identity in the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition of four political parties under the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). For decades, the ruling party has governed by pitting the Oromo and Amhara against one another. Accordingly, the Oromo-Amhara solidarity is the greatest threat to the Ethiopian government. Within the framework of the Copenhagen school, we analyzed the securitization of the two majority identities. This essay is split into two sections. The first examines why and how the Oromo and Amhara identities have been securitized by the dominant …

Editorial Note, Sisay Asefa

International Journal of African Development

No abstract provided.

International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 5, Issue 1

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 5, Issue 1 - Spring 2018.

Foreign Capital Inflows And Economic Well-Being: A Statistical Analysis Of 46 Sub-Saharan African Countries From 1995-2015, Alexander M. Csanadi

Undergraduate Economic Review

Variation in the economic well-being among sub-Saharan African countries is among the highest of any region in the world. This paper attempts to address this disparity by exploring the role of foreign capital inflows. This project extends the concept of well-being beyond GDP growth, to include measures of poverty and inequality. A multivariate regression analysis finds that the observed capital inflows have significant effects on all three measurements of well-being. Findings suggest that the level of affluence of the domestic population has significant effects on the ability of those populations to translate diaspora remittances into improvements in well-being.

Incentive Benefits And Costs, Timothy J. Bartik

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Usaid Spending, Austin J. Moser

Student Research – Stevenson Center

This paper examines the determinants of USAID’s foreign aid disbursements from 2002-2016. Three noteworthy findings emerge. First, USAID foreign aid is based more on political considerations rather than the policies of recipient countries. Second, foreign aid is determined by location and political history. Third, this pattern emerges across all categories of USAID disbursements.

Evaluating Ethiopia’S Development Progress, Sambath Jayapregasham, Matthäus Schuster, Ruben Tjon-A-Meeuw

Undergraduate Economic Review

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most-populated nation is well on its way to becoming one of its wealthiest nations as it charges forward on its path to development. The big question is whether this growth is sustainable. To tackle this question, we will discuss its development strategy using a popular comparison to that of China. We will then offer an appraisal of the current state of the country. Finally, we will evaluate the future of Ethiopia, as it continues its current path – evaluating the potential upsides and risks it faces moving forward.

West Virginia Economic Outlook 2019-2023, Brian Lego, John Deskins, Eric Bowen, Christiadi, Michelle Atkinson

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

West Virginia’s economy enjoyed its strongest year of growth in nearly a decade during 2017, emerging from several years of severe economic weakness. Most of the bounce back in the state’s economy is connected to the energy sector, not only from the increased production of coal and natural gas but also as a result of a massive build-out of new natural gas pipeline infrastructure throughout the state. Growth has broadened to include more of the state’s regions over the past year or so, but the overall magnitude of gains in jobs and output have remained concentrated in just a few …

Mind Control In The Post-Colonial State: The Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment In Tertiary Education In Senegal And Jamaica, Janiel Chantae Slowly

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the end of 17th to 20th century colonization, Senegal and Jamaica have been victims of the rhetoric of development. The economic, social, and political progress of these nations have always been overshadowed by their categorization as “developing countries”. Yet, this development rhetoric fails to acknowledge not only the wounds of colonization but the more modern manifestations of continued exploitation of these countries often by the same countries that “emancipated” their colonies. Senegal and Jamaica for example, are both dominated by large percentages of young adults, in both cases a large majority of the populations are individuals under the age …

Understanding The Mongolian Tourism Supply Chain: Advantages, Challenges And Improvements, Thomas D’Anieri

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The tourism industry in Mongolia has relatively low levels of regulation and is growing at a high rate despite struggling to increase tourist numbers, yet it still remains comparatively inaccessible to foreigners. Regardless, tourism holds huge potential for sustainable growth in Mongolia if it can be developed responsibly. For foreigners right now, it is difficult compared to other countries to figure out how to travel and find accomodation in a place where the main tourist attraction is a lack of people and an abundance of open space, and the majority of people in these places do not speak English. Furthermore, …

Black Gold In A Changing World: An Examination Of Saudi Arabia’S Dependence On Oil And The Possibility Of A Solar Energy Transition, Sofia Mouritsen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper examines Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, considering the profound effects that the resource has on the domestic, socioeconomic, and international affairs of the Kingdom. It is determined, after examining the economic and environmental factors that make it necessary, that Saudi Arabia must reduce its dependence on oil and diversify its economy, ideally by pursing solar energy. This conclusion is reached by considering Saudi Arabia’s domestic challenges, which include unemployment and rising domestic energy demand, as well as factors such as the price volatility of oil and changing global energy trends. A Saudi transition to solar power is determined …

A Study Of Public Seaport Governance In The United States, Christopher Michael Williams

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Seaports are important economic engines serving many metropolitan areas in the United States. Most seaports in the U.S. are public-owned and managed by a set of elected or politically appointed board members. Indeed, this is public governance in action but the field of port governance seems to be focused on the study of operating efficiencies and less concerned with the public governance aspects of seaports.

The term “governance” in a public organization conveys a level of democratic accountability to the citizenry for management of public-owned resources but, until now, studies of seaport governance in the U.S. have not focused on …

Synthetic Control And Dynamic Panel Estimation: A Case Study Of Iran, Orkideh Gharehgozli

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

International sanctions imposed on Iran, targeting primarily Iran’s key energy sector and its ability to access the international financial system, have harmed Iran’s economic growth, specifically from 2011 to 2014. This thesis uses this case to study and compare the applicability of two different popular approaches used in comparative case studies exploring the effect of a policy intervention.

In the Chapter 1 we study the synthetic control method. Using this method, we estimate the effect of the intensification of sanctions on Iran’s GDP during the period 2011 to 2014. The year of 2011 was Iran’s first full year under these …

Innovation, Firm Size Distribution, And Gains From Trade, Yi-Fan Chen, Wen-Tai Hsu, Shin-Kun Peng

Research Collection School Of Economics

We study a trade model with monopolistic competition a la Melitz (2003) that is standard except that firm heterogeneity is endogenously determined by firms innovating to enhance their productivities. We show that the equilibrium productivity and firm-size distributions exhibit power-law tails under rather general conditions on demand and technology. In particular, the emergence of the power laws is essentially independent of the underlying primitive heterogeneity among firms. We investigate the model’s welfare implications, and conduct a quantitative analysis of welfare gains from trade. We find that, conditional on the same trade elasticity and values of the common parameters, our model …