Special Economic Zones in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s):  
Douglas Zhihua Zeng

SEZs can be an effective catalyst for industrialization and structural transformation for developing countries if implemented properly in the right context. However, the performance of SEZs is mixed globally, with East Asia outperforming other regions in general. In sub-Saharan Africa, with the rapid industrial transfer wave of recent years and inspiration from the East Asian success, countries have shown renewed interest in this policy instrument. This chapter provides an overview and an in-depth analysis of Africa’s SEZ experiences through thirteen case examples, identifies the key drivers of SEZs’ success, and draws useful lessons which can be applicable to other developing countries.

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Carbone

ABSTRACTIt is commonly assumed that the advent of democracy tends to bring about social welfare improvements. Few studies, however, have examined empirically the impact of third-wave democratisation processes on social policies in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Through a diachronic comparison, this paper examines the effects of Ghana's democratisation process on the evolution of its health policy. It shows that the emergence of democratic competition played an important role in the recent adoption of a crucial health reform. A policy feedback effect on politics and a process of international policy diffusion were additional but secondary factors.


1986 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Wilson

The importance of poultry as a source of meat and eggs in developing countries is generally recognised, but present levels of production and consumption in Africa are disappointing. This article reviews the factors involved and concludes that there is a need for research designed to improve the traditional methods of small producers rather than seeking to impose modern Western methods on communities too backward to make effective use of them.


2005 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 01-18
Author(s):  
JK Kikafunda ◽  
◽  
P Sserumaga ◽  

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most widespread micro-nutrient deficiency disease world-wide, particularly in developing countries. Although there are several strategies to combat IDA, food-based strategies are the most sustainable and yet little research has been carried out in this area. The study aimed at developing a technology for processing and preserving bovine blood into a shelf-stable powder, which would easily be utilised in fortifying commonly consumed food items, as a food-based strategy in the fight against iron deficiency anaemia. A shelf-stable powder was processed from fresh bovine blood and the physical, chemical, microbiological and shelf-life characteristics assessed using conventional methods. The results of the chemical analysis showed that bovine blood powder has a very high concentration of haeme iron at 195.46 mg/100g of powder. This is more than ten times the level of iron in bovine liver, one of the most commonly used food source of haeme iron whose iron content is only 17 mg/100gm of liver. Although microbiological tests carried out on the freshly processed blood powder and on the same powder after one and three months of storage at room temperature found a significant rise in yeast, mould and total plate counts, these values were low and within safe limits. The blood powder was used to fortify a bean sauce. Sensory analysis panellists considered the fortified bean sauce moderately acceptable with a mean score of 4.667 (like slightly) compared to a mean score of 2.333 (like very much) for the non-fortified sauce, on a nine point Hedonic scale. These findings show that processed bovine blood powder has very high levels of haeme iron and thus has great potential as a food-based strategy to combat iron-deficiency anaemia in resource-poor developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa. However, more research is needed to improve the microbiological and sensory characteristics of the blood powder.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-24
Author(s):  
John Amoah ◽  
Abdul Bashiru Jibril ◽  
Bayuasi Nammei Luki ◽  
Michael Amponsah Odei ◽  
Charles Yawson

Undoubtedly, entrepreneurial knowledge is a prerequisite for the survival of every business organization. To this, the contribution of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the socio-economic development in most developing economies cannot be underestimated. Both developed and developing countries are living testimonies of their contributions to their nation’s growth and development. However, extant literature shows that as competition and innovation intensify in the global business market, many SMEs in developing countries are constrained by external forces that hinder the sustainability of these businesses.   Hence, this paper aims to find out the mitigating factors warranting SMEs’ sustainability from the viewpoint of entrepreneurs and business owners, particularly in the manufacturing sector of Ghana, a Sub-Saharan Africa region. To achieved this objective, the study deployed a simple random sampling technique with 370 valid responses through a structured questionnaire for the analysis. Relying on PLS-SEM (partial least square and structural modeling) with the aid of ADANCO 2.2.1 software version revealed that factors such as financial challenges, technology; market penetration & acceptability; and research & development are barriers facing SMEs sustainability in the Ghanaian manufacturing sector. This study would be beneficial to entrepreneurs and business owners of SMEs in most developing countries and provide deeper insight into the SME literature at large. This study would further strengthen SME entrepreneurs and business owners to fully devise strategies that can help them to override such migrating challenges and equipped them to effectively stay competitive in the long term for the firm’s growth and survival. The limitation and future research directions are equally presented in the paper.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 489
Author(s):  
E. M. Ekanayake ◽  
Ranjini Thaver

The objective of this study is to investigate the nexus between financial development (FD) in economic growth (GROWTH) in developing countries. The study uses panel data from 138 developing countries during the period 1980–2018. The relationship between financial development and economic growth is investigated using four explanatory variables that are commonly used to measure the level of financial development and several other control variables, including a dummy variable representing the financial and banking crises. The sample of 138 developing countries is also classified into six geographic regions. We have carried out panel unit-root tests and panel cointegration tests before estimating the specified models using both Panel Least Squares (Panel LS) and Panel Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) methods. In addition, panel Granger causality tests have been conducted to identify the direction of causality between FD and GROWTH for each of the regions. The results of the study provide evidence of a direct relationship between FD and GROWTH in developing countries. Furthermore, there is evidence of bi-directional causality running from FD to GROWTH and from GROWTH to FD in samples of Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, and all countries, but not in East Asia and Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.


2016 ◽  
pp. 1208-1227
Author(s):  
Monica Gray

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death and is the major cause of malnutrition in children under age 5 worldwide. More than 50 percent of the cases occur in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Open defecation, substandard fecal disposal systems, and contaminated water supplies are the typical causes of diarrheal diseases. This public health crisis in low income countries mirrors the experiences of today's industrialized nations two centuries ago. The lessons learned from their sanitary evolution can be instructive in charting a sustainable path towards saving the lives of almost 2 million children annually. In this chapter a case study of Cuba's sanitary reformation is also presented to showcase successes, similar to those of developed countries, within a developing country and economically challenging context.


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