By Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-02-01 19:21:09
George Kararach recently launched his book, “Disruptions and Rhetoric in African Development Policy,” at a conference held at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). During the launch, Kararach highlighted statistics to show that African economies have experienced remarkable growth of more than 5% per year over the past two decades. This growth is reflected in the African Economic Outlook reports, which also point to several instances of slowing growth, such as in 2012, 2016/2017, and 2020, attributed to various challenges including commodity price and exchange rate volatilities, political and governance risks, difficulties in extracting demographic dividends, re-emergence of debt problems, and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The title of the book, “Disruptions and Rhetoric in African Development Policy,” reflects both external disruptions and the rhetoric surrounding development in Africa. The protacted sense of crisis and optimism coexisting in the continent impacts international development cooperation. The book delves into the underlying conditions affecting African development, including exclusion and social inequality, environmental degradation, poor beneficiation of natural resources, trade and aid, food insecurity, demography and migration, pandemics, conflict and criminality, and technology and innovation.
A detailed exposition of the economic results of these pressures is provided in the book. Real GDP growth in Africa varied across different regions, with East Africa being the only region to have experienced growth in 2020, while other regions experienced varying degrees of contraction. The African Economic Outlook reports referenced in the book are a product of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), from which Kararach presents invaluable insights due to his role as a lead economist at the AfDB Group.
While the book emphasizes the economic statistics, it also questions the reliability of GDP statistics as a measure of growth. The United Nations Development Programme previously identified types of undesirable GDP growth, including jobless, voiceless, ruthless, rootless, and futureless growth. The impact of natural resource finds, environmental degradation, and climate change is also addressed in the book, raising concerns about a potential “resource curse.” Additionally, the book discusses the growing trend among African countries to introduce legislation banning the export of raw resources and demanding domestic “beneficiation” before export.
Kararach’s book is not only rich in statistics and economic analysis but is also an enthralling read due to the narrative it presents. It discusses the disruption in Africa’s development, tracing social movements and protests in the continent’s history, including the influence of colonialism, apartheid, post-genocide recovery in Rwanda, and the revolutionary leadership of Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso. It highlights those who have shaped Africa’s development and the social movements that have influenced the continent over the last century.
In addition to providing a comprehensive historical analysis, Kararach also offers policy options to improve the future development of the continent. These include short-term institutional and legal reforms, medium-term capacity building and good governance structures, and long-term digitalized technologies and global frameworks for monitoring and addressing challenges such as corruption and illegal trade. The book offers an invaluable reference work with multiple links to other scholarly sources, making it a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in African development.
