Leveraging Broadband for e-Government and Development in Africa

Author(s):  
Stephen Kwamena Aikins

This study investigated the extent and benefits of Africa's broadband connectivity, its impact on e-government and economic growth, and the challenges and best practices for addressing them. Studies by the UN and ITU over the years have revealed Africa lags behind in the global broadband connectivity and e-government diffusion. The Connect Africa summit held in 2007 by the ITU and its partners came out with five specific goals to connect the continent and help improve its economy. This study reviewed the Connect Africa Outcomes Report, and analyzed the publications of three independent studies conducted by: a) the ITU, b) the World Bank and the African Development Bank, and c) Informa Telecoms and Media. The findings reveal that Africa has made substantial progress in international connectivity and mobile broadband penetration. Additionally, broadband connectivity has contributed toward some improvements in e-government initiatives and economic growth. The study concludes with recommendations to address the existing challenges to consolidate the gains made.

Author(s):  
Stephen Kwamena Aikins

This study investigated the extent and benefits of Africa's broadband connectivity, its impact on e-government and economic growth, and the challenges and best practices for addressing them. Studies by the UN and ITU over the years have revealed Africa lags behind in the global broadband connectivity and e-government diffusion. The Connect Africa summit held in 2007 by the ITU and its partners came out with five specific goals to connect the continent and help improve its economy. This study reviewed the Connect Africa Outcomes Report, and analyzed the publications of three independent studies conducted by: a) the ITU, b) the World Bank and the African Development Bank, and c) Informa Telecoms and Media. The findings reveal that Africa has made substantial progress in international connectivity and mobile broadband penetration. Additionally, broadband connectivity has contributed toward some improvements in e-government initiatives and economic growth. The study concludes with recommendations to address the existing challenges to consolidate the gains made.


Author(s):  
Lichtenstein Natalie

Chapter 10, Reflections, draws on the histories of AIIB’s predecessors to single out themes that may prove relevant for AIIB’s future development. Examples are taken from the stories of the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Asian Development Bank (AsDB), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Principal themes are: economic and financial environment; international relations and politics; funding; membership changes; major shareholders; clients and operations; leadership and governance; and attitudes toward change. While AIIB has been established in a world far different from the second half of the twentieth century that saw the birth of its predecessors, many of these aspects of the development of these multilateral development banks may prove similarly influential as AIIB’s future unfolds.


Significance Revelations by an investigative commission that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) withheld 25 billion dollars from the federal government between 2011 and 2015 will add urgency to the proceedings. Impacts Concessional loans from the World Bank, African Development Bank and China Exim Bank may fund Nigeria's 'stimulus' budget. Low oil prices will constrain economic growth -- expected to be 4.6%, well below the 6.8% average during the decade ending 2014. The central bank's decision to raise its benchmark interest rate to 12% (a full percentage point increase) will dampen consumer demand.


Author(s):  
Lichtenstein Natalie

Chapter 1, Beginnings, introduces the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the book and its author. The origins of the AIIB proposal by China are discussed, along with the global economic and geo-political aspects that led to its establishment. There are comparisons to the establishment of other multilateral development banks: the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Asian Development Bank (AsDB), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The steps in the negotiating process in 2014–2015 are summarized, and presented in a table of the 57 countries that participated. The author describes her role in drafting the AIIB Charter and some of the considerations in the choice of model.


Author(s):  
Lohya Ibrahim Lakai

Nigeria as a state is a member of many international institutions and organizations. Nigeria has also benefited from these institutions particularly financial institutions. For example, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Paris club, The German Development Bank (KWF), African Development Bank, etc. through loans, grants and aid assisted the Nigerian Government in funding some projects and institutions. Despite this funding, Nigeria Institutions continues show little or no impact commensurate to the funding plunged. This work tries to discuss the role of international institutions in co-financing public institutions in Nigeria. In discussing the role of international institutions, the obstacles and challenges for an effective and transparent procedure will be considered as well as proffer solutions to them.


Policy Papers ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (36) ◽  
Author(s):  

This guide gives a framework that covers the resource-specific issues to be considered in a fiscal transparency assessment, for example as part of a fiscal Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSCs). Equally importantly, it provides a summary overview of generally recognized good or best practices for transparency of resource revenue management that can be used by countries themselves, as well as by the IMF, the World Bank, and others providing technical support.


1997 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim F. I. Shihata

This note addresses the possible correlation between “democracy” and “development”, and the implications, if any, of such a correlation for the World Bank. This calls, first, for providing a definition of the two concepts as they are used here. To clarify the matter further, a distinction is made from the beginning between “development” in the broad sense and the concept of “economic growth” in the strict sense.


Author(s):  
Youssra Ben Romdhane ◽  
Sahar Loukil ◽  
Souhaila Kammoun

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the effect of FinTech and political incertitude on economic growth through a multiple regression. Thus, the authors employ the method of generalized least square (GLS) with panel data. The sample concerns 21 African countries during (2001-2014-2017). The authors use a wide range of measures from Global Findex Database 2017, the World Bank platform, the World Bank national accounts data, and the OECD National Accounts data files base in the context of Africa. Empirical results show that FinTech is a driver of economic growth unless it is actively used in a developed digital infrastructure. In fact, the authors prove that, when financial technologies are used in both transactions (receive and made digital payment), they significantly contribute to the economic cycle. Passive use like simple consumption actions are not a significant lever for the economy. The principal contribution is to highlight that the active use of financial innovations and not passive one and the developed digital infrastructure do promote economic growth in African countries.


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