Shanta Devarajan: Avoiding the Fragility Trap in Africa

Fragile states in Africa seem to be caught in a trap created by political instability, insecure property rights, and corruption. The result: low-investment and slow-growth. Tackling these problems is possible, but it requires resources. These are scarce because external aid is often cut back when there is instability, insecurity, and corruption. It's a vicious cycle.
In an IDRC public lecture, Shanta Devarajan, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, argues that, even if aid is seemingly unproductive in weak-governance environments, it could be hugely beneficial if it helps countries tackle the root causes of instability, insecurity, and corruption. He explainx how African countries can avoid the "fragility trap" and enjoy sustained economic growth.

Shantayanan Devarajan is the Chief Economist of the World Bank's Africa Region. Since joining the World Bank in 1991, he has been a Principal Economist and Research Manager for Public Economics in the Development Research Group, as well as the Chief Economist of the Human Development Network. More recently, he was Chief Economist of the South Asia Region.

Devarajan's research covers public economics, trade policy, natural resources and the environment, and general-equilibrium modeling of developing countries. The author or co-author of over 100 publications, he directed the World Development Report 2004, Making Services Work for Poor People. Born in Sri Lanka, he holds a BA in mathematics from Princeton University and a PhD in economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Écoutez la conférence en français : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktVpZBvq5Gw

Category:

Education

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