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The Recent Growth Resurgence in Africa and Poverty Reduction: The Context and Evidence

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  • Augustin Kwasi Fosu

Abstract

While economic growth in Africa has resurged substantially since the mid-to-late 1990s, the amount of poverty reduction seems much less spectacular. Building on other studies, the paper explores the translation of the recent growth to poverty reduction using 1985–2013 PovcalNet (World Bank) data. It assesses the relative abilities of various panel-data methodologies to predict poverty changes based on income-inequality decompositions. Surprisingly, SYSGMM performs substantially worse than Fixed Effects and Random Effects. The analysis is conducted for both the $1.25 and $2.00 poverty lines, and for the ‘spread’ and ‘depth’ of poverty, as well as for the usual popular measure, the headcount ratio. Although income growth appears to be the main force behind poverty reduction in Africa, the decomposition reveals striking differences, across countries and poverty measures, with respect to the relative roles of inequality and income.

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  • Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2018. "The Recent Growth Resurgence in Africa and Poverty Reduction: The Context and Evidence," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(1), pages 92-107.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:27:y:2018:i:1:p:92-107.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jae/ejx016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2023. "Do unilateral trade preferences help reduce poverty in beneficiary countries?," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 249-288, February.
    3. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2023. "Progress on Poverty in Africa: The Importance of Growth and Inequality," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(Supplemen), pages 164-182.
    4. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2020. "Aid for Trade flows and Poverty Reduction in Recipient-Countries," EconStor Preprints 213807, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    5. Kanayo Ogujiuba & Ntombifuthi Mngometulu, 2022. "Does Social Investment Influence Poverty and Economic Growth in South Africa: A Cointegration Analysis?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, September.
    6. Moses Umkanagwa Paul & Prof Ibrahim Baba Iya, PhD & Miftahu Idris, PhD, 2023. "Impact of Financial Development and Economic Growth on Poverty in Middle Income African Countries," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(9), pages 142-155, September.
    7. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2021. "Do Unilateral Trade Preferences Help Reduce Poverty in Beneficiary Countries?," EconStor Preprints 247346, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    8. Sena Kimm Gnangnon, 2021. "Economic complexity and poverty in developing countries," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 416-429, October.
    9. Oscar Chiwira, 2021. "The Co-Integrating Relationship between Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth in the Southern African Development Community," Eurasian Journal of Economics and Finance, Eurasian Publications, vol. 9(3), pages 170-188.
    10. Clementi,Fabio & Fabiani,Michele & Molini,Vasco & Schettino,Francesco, 2022. "Is Inequality Systematically Underestimated in Sub-Saharan Africa ? A Proposal toOvercome the Problem," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10058, The World Bank.
    11. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2018. "Economic Structure, Growth, and Evolution of Inequality and Poverty in Africa: An Overview," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(1), pages 1-9.
    12. Fambeu, Ariel Herbert & Yomi, Patricia Tchawa, 2023. "Is democracy pro poor in Sub-Saharan Africa?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 10-30.
    13. Achuo, Elvis D., 2023. "Resource wealth and the development dilemma in Africa: The role of policy syndromes," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    14. Sena Kimm Gnangnon, 2021. "Poverty volatility and poverty in developing countries," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 84-95, February.
    15. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2022. "Institutions and African Economic Development," Working Papers 202202, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    16. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2020. "Democracy and Development in Africa," Working Papers 202026, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.

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