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This paper, by Dr. Francis Mulangu, evaluates the impacts of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on firm-level employment and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus far, evidence suggests that AGOA has had positive effects on unilateral exports from Sub-Saharan Africa to the US. Depending on the sectors, AGOA increased SSA exports to the US from 8% to 42%, with petroleum oil exports surpassing 100%. However, less is known about its second order effects – i.e., the impacts on f....

The growth experiences of sub-Saharan Africa (and for that matter, Ghana) and East Asia is a fascinating tale of two regions. From almost identical sets of economic conditions in the early 1960s, the “East Asian Tigers” have sprung to newly-industrialized and middle-income nations, while Ghana muddled through political instability and poor economic performance through to the 1980s. But Ghana is making a turnaround, largely due to increased political stability and an improving enabling econom....

For the past three decades, Botswana has not only recorded the highest annual growth rate in Africa but also the highest annual growth rate in the world. The country grew from a per capita income of $210 in 1960 to an astonishing $3800 in 2005. This paper examines the economics and politics of Botswana’s success and her current challenges. It juxtaposes Botswana’s performance with those of East Asia and Mauritius and draws on lessons for other sub-Saharan African countries. Download the F....

The paper focuses particularly on the importance of policy implementation and the lessons to be learnt from how successfully Asian countries were able to implement their policies and strategies effectively, emphasizing on institutions and structures that African countries can adapt to their environment. The paper concludes by setting the stage for a discussion of how African think tanks, like ACET, can effectively contribute to the transformation of African economies. Download the Full Re....