Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Structural Transformation and Natural Resources in Africa ( Second Part ) Presented by Xia Li (Sherry)

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Structural Transformation and Natural Resources in Africa ( Second Part ) Presented by Xia Li (Sherry)"— Presentation transcript:

1 Structural Transformation and Natural Resources in Africa ( Second Part ) Presented by Xia Li (Sherry)

2  Poor performance of its primary sector : Exploration for mineral resources below its potential; Lack of agricultural transformation  Improvements: Recent boom in commodity prices brings the expected growth effects; Exports of processed products gains significantly on the back of the trade boom in natural resources ; Massive inflows of foreign investment helps job creation. The Primary Sector in Africa Past and Present

3 Exploration of Mineral Resources Below Its Potentials:  Previous attempts to diversify came at the expense of commodity production, particularly agriculture, and resulted in slow growth.  Exploration for geological deposits of resources has remained below its potential.  Much potential has been left untapped, reflecting difficult conditions, especially agricultural resources. Poor Performance

4 Lack of Agricultural Transformation:  Many countries did not overcome dependence and continue to suffer from the “resource curse”.  Instead of managing volatility, many governments exacerbated its effects through spending. The lack of financial access added to the problem.  Combinations of rent-seeking and insufficient transparency led to waste and continued dependence.  Environmental impacts often went unchecked. Poor Performance

5 Improving terms of trade and the reversal of past policies have led to the recent revival of the primary sector, contributing to growth and structural change  Africa is getting better at avoiding the resource curse.  High global demand led to an expansion of natural resource production.  Africa’s exports boomed and showed that growth in manufacturing exports can go side by side with a strong natural resource economy.  The expansion of natural-resource production has created a large number of jobs.  The expansion of proven reserves and resource production in Africa is set to accelerate. Improvements

6  First Layer: providing the fundamentals such as high- quality public services, a favourable institutional and regulatory environment, capable government and access to finance and markets  Second Layer: the environment specific to the natural resource sectors  Third Layer: managing the special opportunities and challenges of natural resources  Fourth/Top Layer: the realm of active government policies pushing for structural transformation Four-layer Policy Approach

7 Policy Challenge:  Infrastructure is a particular challenge for land- abundant Africa: Energy provision remains the most important infrastructure obstacle; Transport costs remain a particularly severe bottleneck. The first two layers: Putting in place the right conditions for structural transformation based on natural resources

8  Skill & Education:  The supply of skilled labour has been a crucial element of resource-based structural transformation;  The right skill mix for their resource endowments requires anticipating skill needs and making the most of foreign investment;  Applied research in natural resources has so far been Africa’s Achilles heel.  Making the most of Africa’s abundance of natural resources requires countries to benefit from the full talent pool available – men and women. The First Two Layers: Policy Challenges

9 Government Regulations:  Property rights and land management systems;  Competitive politics and broad-based tax systems;  Regional integration as well as better access to the markets of large partners;  Increasing effective market size. The First Two Layers: Policy Challenges

10  Questions of Revenue Optimisation and Management:  The experience with state ownership in resource sectors is mixed and does not demonstrate that it is necessarily superior to private operations;  The objective of exerting more control through nationalisation has not generally been achieved;  The objective of retaining a larger share of the rents from resource sectors has only partly been fulfilled. The third layer: Managing natural resources

11  Actions for Governments:  Improve tax collection in the extractive sector without harming investment;  A sustainable approach to revenue management that balances necessary investment with savings is more appropriate for developing countries than the conventional advice;  Initial revenue should be “invested in investing”;  transparency and accountability are crucial in constraining profligate government expenditures and ensuring truly counter- cyclical revenue management;  Direct distribution of resource revenues to citizens is another possible option. The third layer: Managing natural resources

12 Specific Actions for Governments: boosting the productivity of agriculture requires tailored interventions  Link large, formal firms to smallholders;  Commercialize agriculture;  Increase value-addition to agricultural commodities through processing;  Co-operate with the private sector to facilitate a commercialisation of agriculture;  Use divestment strategy where the public sector does not have a comparable advantage;  Help co-ordinate activities and attract FDI Layer 4: Promoting structural transformation

13 Specific Actions for Governments: promoting linkages  Opportunities for developing backward linkages can be supported by active co-operation between government and the private sector;  Government plays a major role in shaping framework conditions for upstream linkages by eliminating common market failures;  Local content provisions can be an effective policy tool to foster backward linkages;  Infrastructure development integrating the needs of lead firms and suppliers could particularly promote cross- linkages between mining and agriculture Layer 4: Promoting structural transformation

14  1. Government interventions  2. Co-operations among nations  3. Education & Technology Policy Lessons:


Download ppt "Structural Transformation and Natural Resources in Africa ( Second Part ) Presented by Xia Li (Sherry)"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google