Niger - Accelerating Growth and Achieving the Millennium Development Goals : Diagnosis and the Policy Agenda

World Bank

Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE;    ACCOUNTABILITY;    AGGREGATE DEMAND;    AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION;    AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION;   

RP-ID  :  41408

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This report has the followingobjectives: (i) identify the underlying constraints tostrong and sustained growth, in particular, the dynamiccircles that lock Niger in a low-growth/high povertyequilibrium; (ii) understand the key determinants of growthand poverty traps and the role increased foreign aid couldplay to promote growth and help achieve theMillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs); and (iii) helpthe Government of Niger design a strategy to acceleratinggrowth and human development: Strategy Paper for HumanDevelopment (SPAHD). This report is organized as follows:Chapter 1 describes the main features of Niger'seconomy from a Social Accounting Matrix perspective. It aimsto analyze the potential linkages between sectors and theimpact a policy shock of an increased public investmentcould have on Niger's economy. Chapter 2 reviewsNiger's growth performance over the past three decades.It draws some policy lessons critical to the design of agrowth strategy for Niger. Chapter 3 provides a snapshot ofwhere Niger stands in achieving the MDGs with less than adecade remaining. It examines the reasons why Niger isfalling short of the goals, describes the recent progress,and highlights the challenges ahead. Chapter 4 analyzes theconstraints to strong and sustained growth with particularfocus on poverty traps. Chapter 5 discusses the macro andmicro foundations for strong growth and achieving the MDGs.It examines the post stabilization macroeconomic policyrequired to enhance the macroeconomic foundations of growth.It also identifies the engines of growth and highlights thecross-cutting issues for improving the business environment.In addition, the chapter discusses the role the privatesector can play in Niger's quest to achieve the MDGs.Chapter 6 analyzes the potential impact that increasedforeign aid would have on growth, poverty, and other MDGsusing Niger's macroeconomic model. It focuses mainly onthe links between foreign aid, the level and composition ofpublic investment - which is disaggregated into education,infrastructure, and health -- the supply-side effects ofpublic capital, growth, poverty, and other MDGs.Furthermore, it discusses the impact of three policyexperiments on growth and the MDGs, including an increase inforeign aid (namely grants), debt relief, and a combinedincrease in foreign aid and tax reforms. Finally, ithighlights the importance of improving governance tomaximize the impact of domestic reforms and increasedforeign aid on growth and the MDGs. Chapter 7 concludes thereport and draws up policy recommendations, highlighting thepolicy priorities needed to accelerate growth and achievethe MDGs.