Growth And Poverty Reduction: Case Studies from West Africa (World Bank Working Papers) (World Bank Working Papers)

This volume provides a set of six case studies from West Africa. These assess the benefits of growth (or the costs of a lack of growth) in terms of poverty reduction in those countries. The first part of this book describes the experience of two countries (Ghana and Senegal) that achieved high levels of growth in the 1990s, and that also experienced important reductions in poverty, even though growth was not strictly pro-poor. The second part describes the experience of two other countries (Burkina Faso and Cape Verde) that also achieved high levels of growth in the 1990s, but where there was an initial perception that growth did not lead to much poverty reduction. The more detailed analysis of poverty presented here suggests however that these two countries did witness a sharp reduction in their population share in poverty, as would have been expected given their growth record. Finally, in the third part, the authors argue that a lack of growth in the 1990s in Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria has been a key reason for their persistently high levels of poverty. Overall, the case studies in this Working Paper make a strong case for the positive impact of growth on poverty reduction in West Africa. However, they also point to the need to pay close attention to changes in inequality, because such changes have limited the gains from growth for the poor in several of the countries considered here Annotation This volume provides a set of six case studies from West Africa. These assess the benefits of growth (or the costs of a lack of growth) in terms of poverty reduction in those countries. The first part of this book describes the experience of two countries (Ghana and Senegal) that achieved high levels of growth in the 1990s, and that also experienced important reductions in poverty, even though growth was not strictly pro-poor. The second part describes the experience of two other countries (Burkina Faso and Cape Verde) that also achieved high levels of growth in the 1990s, but where there was an initial perception that growth did not lead to much poverty reduction. The more detailed analysis of poverty presented here suggests however that these two countries did witness a sharp reduction in their population share in poverty, as would have been expected given their growth record. Finally, in the third part, the authors argue that a lack of growth in the 1990s in Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria has been a key reason for their persistently high levels of poverty. Overall, the case studies make a strong case for the positive impact of growth on poverty reduction in West Africa. However, they also point to the need to pay close attention to changes in inequality, because such changes have limited the gains from growth for the poor in several of the countries considered here Growth And Poverty Reduction In West Africa: A Brief Overview / By Quentin Wodon -- Growth With Selective Poverty Reduction: Ghana In The 1990s / By Harold Coulombe And Andrew Mckay -- Has Growth In Senegal After The 1994 Devaluation Been Pro-poor? / By Jean-paul Azam [and Others] ... -- Burkina Faso: Quo Vadis, Poverty? / By Emil Daniel Tesliuc And Michael Kome -- Assessing Absolute And Relative Poverty Trends With Limited Data In Cape Verde / By Diego-angel Urdinola And Quentin Wodon -- Conflict, Growth, And Poverty In Guinea-bissau / By Boubacar-sid Barry And Quentin Wodon -- Macroeconomic Volatility, Private Investment, Growth, And Poverty In Nigeria / By Douglas Addison And Quentin Wodon. Edited By Quentin Wodon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 134-35). Growth and poverty reduction in West Africa: a brief overview / by Quentin Wodon Growth with selective poverty reduction: Ghana in the 1990s / by Harold Coulombe and Andrew McKay Has growth in Senegal after the 1994 devaluation been pro-poor? / by Jean-Paul Azam, [et al.]... Burkina Faso: quo vadis, poverty? / by Emil Daniel Tesliuc and Michael Kome Assessing absolute and relative poverty trends with limited data in Cape Verde / by Diego-Angel Urdinola and Quentin Wodon Conflict, growth, and poverty in Guinea-Bissau / by Boubacar-Sid Barry and Quentin Wodon Macroeconomic volatility, private investment, growth, and poverty in Nigeria / by Douglas Addison and Quentin Wodon