World Bank development policies and poverty alleviation in Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	World Bank development policies and poverty alleviation in Africa
Author:	Onwuka, Emmanuel Chike
Year:	2006
Periodical:	Africa Development: A Quarterly Journal of CODESRIA (ISSN 0850-3907)
Volume:	31
Issue:	4
Pages:	104-120
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	development World Bank poverty reduction structural adjustment Economics, Commerce economic development poverty
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/24483878
Abstract:	This paper looks at how World Bank policies affect the outcomes of efforts at alleviating widespread poverty in Africa. It questions the repercussion of these policies on the stability of African economies by analysing a survey of the literature. From the evidence gathered from Africa and specific countries on the continent, the paper shows that the World Bank-supported adjustment reforms exacerbate rather than reduce poverty as they deal with growth-related problems at the expense of human-centred or development-associated measures; thus reinforcing the concerns that the reforms are an ineffective poverty alleviation instrument. Nevertheless, structural reforms could help push African economies forward on condition that poverty reduction and not accounting records is their point of reference. In that way, human development, which is the key to unlock Africa's potential, would take its deserved place on the continent's agenda. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]