Economic cooperation between China and Africa has deepened in scope and scale in recent times, an... more Economic cooperation between China and Africa has deepened in scope and scale in recent times, and FOCAC has emerged as the largest South–South economic partnership platform. However, evidence suggests that the catalytic effect of China–Africa engagement on the economic transformation of African countries has been uneven, primarily shaped by the strategic response of the respective African countries. This chapter proposes that China–Africa economic ties should be examined from a structural transformation perspective to adequately evaluate the catalytic effect of Chinese engagement on the economic growth and diversification of African economies, the development of domestic capabilities, and lastly on Africa’s successful insertion into the globalized economy of the twenty-first century. Based on the experience of Ethiopia, the chapter unpacks the pathways to structural transformation in the African context, and the role of the state in guiding the economy through a proactive and strat...
As Africa enters the 21st century, it faces mounting challenges as well as new opportunities. Unl... more As Africa enters the 21st century, it faces mounting challenges as well as new opportunities. Unlike in the 1980s and the 1990s, however, the conditions for Africa's sustained growth and developmen ...
The State of Addis Ababa 2017 report is aimed at providing a comprehensive assessment of existing... more The State of Addis Ababa 2017 report is aimed at providing a comprehensive assessment of existing socioeconomic and environmental conditions in the city, shedding light on the impacts of on-going fast paced urbanization. The report addresses policy makers and city planners and makes bold recommendations on how resources can be strategically developed and managed to sustainably meet the needs of the urban population of today and the future, improve the short- and long-term wellbeing of citizens and transform Addis Ababa into the city that the citizenry wants.
... The district consultations were complemented with consultations at the provincial levels, whi... more ... The district consultations were complemented with consultations at the provincial levels, which were then followed by consultation at the federal level (Abebe, 2002: 8 9). In Rwanda the government solicited the views of ordinary people via the National Poverty Assessment ...
Text of the Inaugural Thandika Mkandawire Annual Memorial Lecture presented at the 3rd edition of... more Text of the Inaugural Thandika Mkandawire Annual Memorial Lecture presented at the 3rd edition of the Social Policy in Africa Conference convened virtually from 22–24 November 2021. Fantu Cheru, Emeritus Professor of International Political Economy, American University, Washington, DC. Email: [email protected]
The aim of this chapter is to take stock of the evolution of development thinking and policies in... more The aim of this chapter is to take stock of the evolution of development thinking and policies in Africa since independence in the early 1960s, and to assess their success and shortcomings, and explore alternative pathways for Africa’s structural transformation and long-term growth in the context of rapid globalization and technological revolutions. Taking a retrospective view and prospective view, the chapter examines the internal and external factors that contributed to the demise of the African “nationalist project” of the 1960s, and in moving forward, it explores sound and feasible alternatives on how to harness Africa’s development potential in order to an inclusive development agenda.
and that it has to adjust to conditions in the world economy. However, our conviction was that su... more and that it has to adjust to conditions in the world economy. However, our conviction was that such a programme should star from the paricular conditions in the countr, which is one of the worlds very poorest countries1. We agreed to look for alternatives, for a new economic policy in Ethiopia which tres to develop the country from the bottom and upwards. This should be a programme which centers around the goal to give all people a chanee to feed themselves through their own work, and which would employ all the existing labour force productively, in one form or the other. By necessity, this would mean that the majority has for some time to come to remain in agrculture, basically producing their own subsistence. We did also consider how to integrate this concem into a planning proeess well under way already, and how to reconcile our ideas with the demands Ethiopia is facing from a world opinion swept away by the victory of free market economy, and not very open for restrctive policies to protect local interests and cultural and social values outside the realm of market economy. The two papers presented here are the result of this exercise. They were prepared for presentation at the symposium in Addis Ababa, and certainly were shaped by our expectations. Fantu Cheru managed after some initiallobbying to get into the opening session. Given a very short time, as an additional speaker, his orally summarized paper attracted much attention and response: Of all four speakers he was the only one to give a view forward, to make practical suggestions as to how to formulate an economic policy specific to Ethiopia and responsive to her present probierns. However, the following discussions proved that our fears had be en correct, and that little consideration was given to the needs of the poor when it came to issues of interest conflet, such as urban housing, investment priorities, trade policies etc. My own paper was again in short summar presented in a plenum on agriculture. It drowned in a discussion which was mostly concerned with the Minister of agrculture's position on the question of land privatisation and with the assumed necessity to attract private investment in agrculture. Again, in abstraet, the "human development" approach was commended, but in practical issues, the discussionsswifty bypassed the.view from below. It is interesting, though, that Ethiopia being the very poorest countr by average GDP, figures much better on the "Human Development Index" of UNP, on place 141 of a total of 160, thanks mainly to a relatively high literacy rate and a better health service compared to other countres with a very low GDP. The two papers are here made available together with my report from the visit to Ethiopia and also Eritrea. I hope that the three documents together represent a view and an assessment of the present situation in Ethiopia which wil be of interest for the reader wanting to follow events in the countr.
The world is at a critical juncture: there is the opportunity to come together to pursue a common... more The world is at a critical juncture: there is the opportunity to come together to pursue a common agenda, or it can break into opposing groups based on differences in income, interests, religion or ...
Purpose The Swedish government has in its budget proposal to parliament for 2007 announced its in... more Purpose The Swedish government has in its budget proposal to parliament for 2007 announced its intention to submit a White Paper on Swedish relations with Africa. The previous White Paper on this subject, " Africa on the Move " , was submitted in March 1998, a revised and shorter version in 2002. The White Paper is intended as a basis for the formulation of Swedish government policies toward Africa, not only regarding development cooperation but also in trade, security, cultural exchange and other areas of particular Swedish interest. Work commenced in the spring of 2007, a first draft shall be available by 1 November 2007, and final submission is expected by December 2007. The project is being coordinated within the Africa Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The White Paper will highlight new developments in Africa as well as other trends of relevance to Swedish relations with the continent. It will explore how these trends affect Sweden and how Sweden may pos...
In recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and t... more In recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and their footprints are growing by leaps and bounds, transforming Africa's international relations in a ...
This volume is the first ever economics handbook on a single African country focused on the theme... more This volume is the first ever economics handbook on a single African country focused on the theme of structural transformation. It is intended to serve as a major reference book on the Ethiopian economy for university students, researchers, and policymakers. Part I, covering the period 1890–2017, deals with the transition from a traditional to a modern economy, from the period of Imperial rule under Emperor Haile Selassie, through the Derg regime to the post-1991 government of the EPRDF. Issues including land tenure, ethnic federalism, the constitutional framework, and legal institutions are assessed extensively. Part II deals with economic policies for structural transformation in the post-1991 period, covering topics such as the development of the financial sector, trade and infrastructure policies, poverty reduction strategies, and the focus on green and climate-resilient transformation. Part III focuses on social policy and development, with attention to growth, poverty and ineq...
The Millennium Development Goals are likely to remain important for the long-term task of eradica... more The Millennium Development Goals are likely to remain important for the long-term task of eradicating poverty beyond 2015. But development policy is being challenged by a host of new and old issues brought into focus by the quadruple crises of the past three years: the food, climate, energy and financial crises. The favourable global economic and political conditions that existed when the MDGs were adopted in 2000 do not exist anymore. The crises and their aftermaths therefore require us to “think out of the box,” to ask different questions and seek new ways of social and political mobilization to tackle the structural problems that perpetuate global inequalities.
Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (The)
At present, emerging economies such as China, are the major importers as well as investors in Afr... more At present, emerging economies such as China, are the major importers as well as investors in Africa's extractive sector. Indeed, they maintain a "stranglehold" on the continent regarding finance for development. Their success in gaining access to the resources of Africa is linked to an effective strategy that combines trade inducements, increased investment flows, aid for infrastructure and construction and technology transfers. With the recent dramatic decline in the price of commodities, and China's re-balancing with greater emphasis on consumption-driven growth model, growth prospects in commodity-dependent Africa has dampened. Qatar, with its abundant hydrocarbon reserves and US$10 billion foreign exchange reserves, deploys its "soft power" to enable African countries develop their extractive sector fully, industrialize and end China's financial stranglehold on the continent. Qatar can help develop Africa's mineral processing industries through public private partnerships and experience. This is because of Qatar's track record as a sound manager of natural resources. This type of partnership will assist African countries to get more out of their natural resources through valueaddition, and further deepen domestic technological capacity and job creation.
Economic cooperation between China and Africa has deepened in scope and scale in recent times, an... more Economic cooperation between China and Africa has deepened in scope and scale in recent times, and FOCAC has emerged as the largest South–South economic partnership platform. However, evidence suggests that the catalytic effect of China–Africa engagement on the economic transformation of African countries has been uneven, primarily shaped by the strategic response of the respective African countries. This chapter proposes that China–Africa economic ties should be examined from a structural transformation perspective to adequately evaluate the catalytic effect of Chinese engagement on the economic growth and diversification of African economies, the development of domestic capabilities, and lastly on Africa’s successful insertion into the globalized economy of the twenty-first century. Based on the experience of Ethiopia, the chapter unpacks the pathways to structural transformation in the African context, and the role of the state in guiding the economy through a proactive and strat...
As Africa enters the 21st century, it faces mounting challenges as well as new opportunities. Unl... more As Africa enters the 21st century, it faces mounting challenges as well as new opportunities. Unlike in the 1980s and the 1990s, however, the conditions for Africa's sustained growth and developmen ...
The State of Addis Ababa 2017 report is aimed at providing a comprehensive assessment of existing... more The State of Addis Ababa 2017 report is aimed at providing a comprehensive assessment of existing socioeconomic and environmental conditions in the city, shedding light on the impacts of on-going fast paced urbanization. The report addresses policy makers and city planners and makes bold recommendations on how resources can be strategically developed and managed to sustainably meet the needs of the urban population of today and the future, improve the short- and long-term wellbeing of citizens and transform Addis Ababa into the city that the citizenry wants.
... The district consultations were complemented with consultations at the provincial levels, whi... more ... The district consultations were complemented with consultations at the provincial levels, which were then followed by consultation at the federal level (Abebe, 2002: 8 9). In Rwanda the government solicited the views of ordinary people via the National Poverty Assessment ...
Text of the Inaugural Thandika Mkandawire Annual Memorial Lecture presented at the 3rd edition of... more Text of the Inaugural Thandika Mkandawire Annual Memorial Lecture presented at the 3rd edition of the Social Policy in Africa Conference convened virtually from 22–24 November 2021. Fantu Cheru, Emeritus Professor of International Political Economy, American University, Washington, DC. Email: [email protected]
The aim of this chapter is to take stock of the evolution of development thinking and policies in... more The aim of this chapter is to take stock of the evolution of development thinking and policies in Africa since independence in the early 1960s, and to assess their success and shortcomings, and explore alternative pathways for Africa’s structural transformation and long-term growth in the context of rapid globalization and technological revolutions. Taking a retrospective view and prospective view, the chapter examines the internal and external factors that contributed to the demise of the African “nationalist project” of the 1960s, and in moving forward, it explores sound and feasible alternatives on how to harness Africa’s development potential in order to an inclusive development agenda.
and that it has to adjust to conditions in the world economy. However, our conviction was that su... more and that it has to adjust to conditions in the world economy. However, our conviction was that such a programme should star from the paricular conditions in the countr, which is one of the worlds very poorest countries1. We agreed to look for alternatives, for a new economic policy in Ethiopia which tres to develop the country from the bottom and upwards. This should be a programme which centers around the goal to give all people a chanee to feed themselves through their own work, and which would employ all the existing labour force productively, in one form or the other. By necessity, this would mean that the majority has for some time to come to remain in agrculture, basically producing their own subsistence. We did also consider how to integrate this concem into a planning proeess well under way already, and how to reconcile our ideas with the demands Ethiopia is facing from a world opinion swept away by the victory of free market economy, and not very open for restrctive policies to protect local interests and cultural and social values outside the realm of market economy. The two papers presented here are the result of this exercise. They were prepared for presentation at the symposium in Addis Ababa, and certainly were shaped by our expectations. Fantu Cheru managed after some initiallobbying to get into the opening session. Given a very short time, as an additional speaker, his orally summarized paper attracted much attention and response: Of all four speakers he was the only one to give a view forward, to make practical suggestions as to how to formulate an economic policy specific to Ethiopia and responsive to her present probierns. However, the following discussions proved that our fears had be en correct, and that little consideration was given to the needs of the poor when it came to issues of interest conflet, such as urban housing, investment priorities, trade policies etc. My own paper was again in short summar presented in a plenum on agriculture. It drowned in a discussion which was mostly concerned with the Minister of agrculture's position on the question of land privatisation and with the assumed necessity to attract private investment in agrculture. Again, in abstraet, the "human development" approach was commended, but in practical issues, the discussionsswifty bypassed the.view from below. It is interesting, though, that Ethiopia being the very poorest countr by average GDP, figures much better on the "Human Development Index" of UNP, on place 141 of a total of 160, thanks mainly to a relatively high literacy rate and a better health service compared to other countres with a very low GDP. The two papers are here made available together with my report from the visit to Ethiopia and also Eritrea. I hope that the three documents together represent a view and an assessment of the present situation in Ethiopia which wil be of interest for the reader wanting to follow events in the countr.
The world is at a critical juncture: there is the opportunity to come together to pursue a common... more The world is at a critical juncture: there is the opportunity to come together to pursue a common agenda, or it can break into opposing groups based on differences in income, interests, religion or ...
Purpose The Swedish government has in its budget proposal to parliament for 2007 announced its in... more Purpose The Swedish government has in its budget proposal to parliament for 2007 announced its intention to submit a White Paper on Swedish relations with Africa. The previous White Paper on this subject, " Africa on the Move " , was submitted in March 1998, a revised and shorter version in 2002. The White Paper is intended as a basis for the formulation of Swedish government policies toward Africa, not only regarding development cooperation but also in trade, security, cultural exchange and other areas of particular Swedish interest. Work commenced in the spring of 2007, a first draft shall be available by 1 November 2007, and final submission is expected by December 2007. The project is being coordinated within the Africa Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The White Paper will highlight new developments in Africa as well as other trends of relevance to Swedish relations with the continent. It will explore how these trends affect Sweden and how Sweden may pos...
In recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and t... more In recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and their footprints are growing by leaps and bounds, transforming Africa's international relations in a ...
This volume is the first ever economics handbook on a single African country focused on the theme... more This volume is the first ever economics handbook on a single African country focused on the theme of structural transformation. It is intended to serve as a major reference book on the Ethiopian economy for university students, researchers, and policymakers. Part I, covering the period 1890–2017, deals with the transition from a traditional to a modern economy, from the period of Imperial rule under Emperor Haile Selassie, through the Derg regime to the post-1991 government of the EPRDF. Issues including land tenure, ethnic federalism, the constitutional framework, and legal institutions are assessed extensively. Part II deals with economic policies for structural transformation in the post-1991 period, covering topics such as the development of the financial sector, trade and infrastructure policies, poverty reduction strategies, and the focus on green and climate-resilient transformation. Part III focuses on social policy and development, with attention to growth, poverty and ineq...
The Millennium Development Goals are likely to remain important for the long-term task of eradica... more The Millennium Development Goals are likely to remain important for the long-term task of eradicating poverty beyond 2015. But development policy is being challenged by a host of new and old issues brought into focus by the quadruple crises of the past three years: the food, climate, energy and financial crises. The favourable global economic and political conditions that existed when the MDGs were adopted in 2000 do not exist anymore. The crises and their aftermaths therefore require us to “think out of the box,” to ask different questions and seek new ways of social and political mobilization to tackle the structural problems that perpetuate global inequalities.
Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (The)
At present, emerging economies such as China, are the major importers as well as investors in Afr... more At present, emerging economies such as China, are the major importers as well as investors in Africa's extractive sector. Indeed, they maintain a "stranglehold" on the continent regarding finance for development. Their success in gaining access to the resources of Africa is linked to an effective strategy that combines trade inducements, increased investment flows, aid for infrastructure and construction and technology transfers. With the recent dramatic decline in the price of commodities, and China's re-balancing with greater emphasis on consumption-driven growth model, growth prospects in commodity-dependent Africa has dampened. Qatar, with its abundant hydrocarbon reserves and US$10 billion foreign exchange reserves, deploys its "soft power" to enable African countries develop their extractive sector fully, industrialize and end China's financial stranglehold on the continent. Qatar can help develop Africa's mineral processing industries through public private partnerships and experience. This is because of Qatar's track record as a sound manager of natural resources. This type of partnership will assist African countries to get more out of their natural resources through valueaddition, and further deepen domestic technological capacity and job creation.
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Papers by Fantu Cheru