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Begin New Search Topic Economic growth Publishing Institution The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)

1. Youth Unemployment in Africa: Capacity Building and Innovative Strategies

Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
The aim of this Occasional Paper produced by the African Capacity Building Foundation is to provoke evidence-based discussion, and encourage further investigation on the critical capacity challenges to be addressed to tackle youth unemployment in Africa. The paper assesses the causes and impacts of youth unemployment in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. It profiles and characterizes the status and nature of youth unemployment as well as the strategies and programs—and identifies the challenges, implications, and gaps—to find ways to address it. Stakeholder and expert consultations with development partners, government, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations in addressing youth unemployment were carried out, as such research is crucial for identifying capacity gaps and key policy aspects to address it. The consultations were complemented with a review of success stories and best practices to inform strategies and capacity development interventions aimed to tackle youth unemployment and refine policy approaches toward inclusive, employment-creating, and sustainable economic growth.
Topic:
Development, Economic growth, Youth, Capacity, Unemployment, Economic Development, and Sustainability
Political Geography:
Africa, South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, and Botswana

2. Drivers of Economic Growth in Africa

Publication Date:
10-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
The paper produced by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) shows that investment, human capital formation, debt, and overseas development assistance drive Africa’s economic growth. It recommends paying attention to capacity, which is critical to making Africa’s growth sustainable and inclusive. Continental, regional, and national long-term growth plans require stronger capacities to improve economic governance, align national and subnational institutions, coordinate planning and financing ministries, and cultivate a culture of committed leadership to stir economies when times are hard and execute recovery plans without policy reversals. The paper provokes discussion, encourages further investigation, and defines the critical capacity challenges to tackling the growth-equality disconnect in Africa.
Topic:
Economics, Economic growth, Capacity, and Economic Development
Political Geography:
Africa and Global Focus

3. Accessing Funds for Development: Required Capacities for Resource Mobilization and Absorption

Publication Date:
09-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
African countries are now implementing the Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030 (also known as Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs), both requiring huge financial resources. Globally, large amounts of investable resources, mostly private, are available in advanced and emerging economies while domestic public resources, even in low-income countries, can be increased when the relevant capacities are in place. To efficiently mobilize the available resources, therefore, countries need to tackle the binding capacity constraints. These include human and institutional capacity to effectively manage tax exemptions, tax evasion, capital flight, illicit financial flows; constraints to accessing private resources particularly blended finance offered by public private partnership (PPP) avenues; and constraints relating to underdeveloped capital markets in most Africa countries. This Issues Paper produced by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) for the 26th Annual Meeting of its Board of Governors considers the capacity dimensions related to the mobilization and absorption of funds by responding to the following questions (1) What are the domestic and external resources available for Africa’s development? (2) How can the resources be effectively mobilized? (3) What are some of the good practices employed by countries to ensure that the available resources are effectively utilized and fully absorbed? (4) What have been the capacities required to effectively access and absorb the mobilized resources?
Topic:
Economics, Economic growth, Public Sector, Capacity, Capital Flight, Economic Development, and Private Sector
Political Geography:
Africa

4. Africa Capacity Report 2017: Building Capacity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Africa’s Transformation

Publication Date:
01-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
African countries have shown their interest and willingness to strive for science, technology, and innovation (STI)-led development in the coming years. African heads of state and decisionmakers, through Agenda 2063 and the Common African Position in Agenda 2030, have highlighted STI as a key enabler promoting the ability of African countries to achieve their economic transformation and development goals. This commitment was clearly expressed by the adoption of a 10-year Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) in June 2014 at the 23rd Ordinary Session of African Union Heads of State and Government Summit. The strategy links science, technology, and innovation to Africa’s sustainable economic transformation.
Topic:
Development, Science and Technology, Economic growth, Capacity, and Innovation
Political Geography:
Africa

5. Building Capacity for Domestic Resource Mobilization: The Role of Development Partners

Publication Date:
12-2016
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
Africa’s ability to deliver on the ambitious post-2015 Agenda (also called the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals) and the African Union Agenda 2063 largely depends on the availability of adequate financial resources. But the funding sources for development programs have been neither stable nor predictable, particularly after the global financial crisis in 2008. It has become clear that while donor financing remains important, overreliance on donor funding will not sustainably drive the success of the two continental agendas, hence the need to focus on other development finance options such as domestic resource mobilization.1 If new sources of financing are not in place, Africa’s growth and industrialization strategies are likely to suffer an early setback. Agenda 2063 recommends that countries strengthen domestic resource mobilization, build continental capital markets and financial institutions, and reverse illicit financial flows for Africa to be self-reliant and finance its own development.
Topic:
Development, Natural Resources, Economic growth, Capacity, Economic Development, and Human Resources
Political Geography:
Africa

6. Africa Capacity Indicators 2013: Capacity Development For Natural Resource Management

Publication Date:
01-2013
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
This year's Report, the third in a series, focuses on an issue of great importance to Africa: natural resource management. The Report is holistic, yet focused on what African countries need to do individually and collectively to achieve effective management and good governance of the continent's vast natural resource wealth. The discussion covers both renewable and non-renewable endowments, with specific focus on forests, land, water, solid minerals, and petroleum resources. The Report offers analysis of the critical perspectives and contemporary academic and policy debates on the natural resource value chain, including emerging issues such as climate change and green economy. Pragmatic approaches based on original problem solving in different contexts are also presented in each chapter of the Report. To keep the emphasis relevant to the 2012 Africa Capacity Indicators Report, , this Capacity Development for Agricultural Transformation and Food Security volume gives particular attention to issues of capacity development and policy choices for “green growth.” The Report, in essence, links the natural resource management discussion with the themes of the two previous ACI Reports (ACIR2011, on state fragility, and ACIR2012, on agricultural transformation and food security).
Topic:
Development, Natural Resources, Economic growth, Capacity, and Human Resources
Political Geography:
Africa

7. Africa Capacity Indicators 2011: Capacity Development in Fragile States

Publication Date:
01-2011
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
Abstract:
Africa's recent development performance has generated optimistic talk that the Continent will soon join the league of “emerging markets.” While Africa has in fact, over the past decade, achieved significant gains in restoring macroeconomic stability and robust economic growth, thereby breaking with and starting to tackle the economic stagnation, debt crisis and severe poverty of the previous three decades, these developments are uneven and they need to be sustained.
Topic:
Development, Emerging Markets, Markets, Fragile States, Economic growth, Capacity, and Macroeconomics
Political Geography:
Africa