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The Landscape of Capital Flows to Low-Income Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Mr. Thomas William Dorsey
  • Ms. Zuzana Brixiova
  • Sukhwinder Singh
  • Mr. Helaway Tadesse

Abstract

This paper reviews trends in capital flows and capital-like flows such as official grants and remittances to low-income countries over the period 1981-2006. The survey reveals a broadbased increase in such flows as a share of low-income country GDP across major regions, countries with differing commodity export composition, and countries with differing debt relief status. The increase in inflows is dominated by an increase in private sector inflows, mostly in the form of private transfers and foreign direct investment. Official sector inflows have remained comparatively constant as a share of low-income country GDP and even declined in the most recent years. The paper concludes with some tentative policy conclusions and has a discussion of data issues in the annexes.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Thomas William Dorsey & Ms. Zuzana Brixiova & Sukhwinder Singh & Mr. Helaway Tadesse, 2008. "The Landscape of Capital Flows to Low-Income Countries," IMF Working Papers 2008/051, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2008/051
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Juliana D. Araujo & Antonio C. David & Carlos Hombeeck & Chris Papageorgiou, 2017. "Non-FDI Capital Inflows in Low-Income Countries: Catching the Wave?," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 65(2), pages 426-465, June.
    2. Mr. Nikola Spatafora & Ms. Oana Luca, 2012. "Capital Inflows, Financial Development, and Domestic Investment: Determinants and Inter-Relationships," IMF Working Papers 2012/120, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Combes, Jean-Louis & Kinda, Tidiane & Plane, Patrick, 2012. "Capital flows, exchange rate flexibility, and the real exchange rate," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 1034-1043.
    4. Benoît, Jean-Pierre & Galbiati, Roberto & Henry, Emeric, 2017. "Investing to cooperate: Theory and experiment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1-17.
    5. Ms. Juliana Dutra Araujo & Mr. Antonio David & Carlos van Hombeeck & Mr. Chris Papageorgiou, 2015. "Non-FDI Capital Inflows in Low-Income Developing Countries: Catching the Wave?," IMF Working Papers 2015/086, International Monetary Fund.
    6. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/d3pr45c1e8egae1q88dc5jo6u is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Gerardo Licandro & Jorge Ponce (ed.), 2015. "Precios de activos internos, fundamentos globales y estabilidad financiera," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA, edition 1, volume 1, number 4sp, December.
    8. Ms. Corinne C Delechat & Mr. John Wakeman-Linn & Ms. Smita Wagh & Mr. Gustavo Ramirez, 2009. "Sub-Saharan Africa's Integration in the Global Financial Markets," IMF Working Papers 2009/114, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Araujo, Juliana D. & Li, Bin Grace & Poplawski-Ribeiro, Marcos & Zanna, Luis-Felipe, 2016. "Current account norms in natural resource rich and capital scarce economies," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 144-156.
    10. Araujo, Juliana D. & David, Antonio C. & van Hombeeck, Carlos & Papageorgiou, Chris, 2017. "Joining the club? Procyclicality of private capital inflows in lower income developing economies," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 157-182.
    11. Samson Edo, 2018. "Private capital inflows and stock market interface in sub-Saharan Africa," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 65(4), pages 507-538, December.
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/d3pr45c1e8egae1q88dc5jo6u is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Ms. Juliana Dutra Araujo & Mr. Antonio David & Carlos van Hombeeck & Mr. Chris Papageorgiou, 2015. "Joining the Club? Procyclicality of Private Capital Inflows in Low Income Developing Countries," IMF Working Papers 2015/163, International Monetary Fund.
    14. Zorobabel Bicaba & Zuzana Brixiova & Mthuli Ncube, 2015. "Working Paper - 217 - Capital Account Policies, IMF Programs and Growth in Developing Regions," Working Paper Series 2155, African Development Bank.
    15. Philip R. Lane, 2015. "International Financial Flows in Low-Income Countries," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 49-72, February.
    16. Jean-Louis COMBES & Patrick PLANE & Tidiane KINDA, 2010. "Capital Flows and their Impact on the Real Effective Exchange Rate," Working Papers 201032, CERDI.
    17. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/59r8grug28881rf8or7715f88g is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Zorobabel Bicaba & Zuzana Brixiov?? & Mthuli Ncube, 2014. "Capital Account Policies, Imf Programs And Growth In Developing Regions," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp1085, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    19. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/59r8grug28881rf8or7715f88g is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Óscar L. Herrera V. & Héctor A. Valle S., 2017. "Líneas de crédito internacionales en Guatemala: caracterización y efecto macroeconómico," Investigación Conjunta-Joint Research, in: Gerardo Licandro & Jorge Ponce (ed.), Precios de activos internos, fundamentos globales y estabilidad financiera, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 10, pages 365-407, Centro de Estudios Monetarios Latinoamericanos, CEMLA.

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