Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa

Gary Moser and Toshihiro Ichida

No 2001/112, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: This study confirms a strong and robust relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa. Employing a panel of 46 countries covering the period 1972-97, the analysis finds that a 10 percent increase in per capita GDP leads to a 1 percent increase in life expectancy, a 3-4 percent decline in infant mortality rates, and a 3½-4 percent increase in the rate of gross primary school enrollment. The results are robust for high- and low-income, as well as fast- and slow-growth, countries. The study also finds that quality of growth, civil conflict, HIV/AIDs, civil and institutional freedom, and island economies are important control variables that help explain the variability of poverty across Africa. A country's latitude is not found to be a significant factor explaining life expectancy or infant mortality rates, though it is a significant factor explaining gross primary school enrollments.

Keywords: WP; economic growth; low income; poverty indicator; Poverty; Growth; Human Development; Health; Education; Africa; income poverty; poverty trend; income level; income equation; poverty study; trends in SSA; income-health relationship; Personal income; Poverty reduction; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; East Asia; East Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32
Date: 2001-08-01
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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