Why has the economic growth performance of Sub-Saharan Africa overall been so disappointing over the past fifty years? More importantly, what can be done to sustain and improve upon the accelerated growth experienced in recent years? What are the possibilities and policies for Africa to achieve sustained, rapid economic growth, poverty reduction, and begin to catch up? What are the lessons of success in both Africa and elsewhere? Could some of the policies that proved so successful in East Asia help reverse the de-industrialization of Africa in the past three decades and be the basis of its st ... More

Why has the economic growth performance of Sub-Saharan Africa overall been so disappointing over the past fifty years? More importantly, what can be done to sustain and improve upon the accelerated growth experienced in recent years? What are the possibilities and policies for Africa to achieve sustained, rapid economic growth, poverty reduction, and begin to catch up? What are the lessons of success in both Africa and elsewhere? Could some of the policies that proved so successful in East Asia help reverse the de-industrialization of Africa in the past three decades and be the basis of its structural transformation? These were the questions posed to a diverse group of experts on development convened by the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD). This volume reflects the highlights of their deliberations. It broadens the policy debate, expands the policy options and proposes alternative development strategies. This book captures the lively, and sometimes contentious, debate, but in the end, it provides a note of optimism for the future of a subcontinent whose economic experience has been so disappointing. Neither geography nor governance present an insurmountable obstacle in much of Africa, but the dominant governance agenda needs to be radically overhauled. Though success is not assured, there is good reason to believe that policies based on lessons of successes, notably in East Asia, can be adapted successfully in African contexts. And indeed, there are already a few notable successes, and more are in the offing.