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Purpose: The African region has experienced relatively lower economic growth and higher outflow of migration over the years. The purpose of this research paper, therefore, is to focus on the African region to investigate whether or not there is any link between the poor economic growth and rising outflow of migration. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical data spanning from 1990 to 2015 are collected from reliable sources for 41 countries belonging to the African region. Appropriate estimating methodology that controls for unobserved heterogeneity both across time and across countries, and endogeneity is employed. Findings: The results revealed that the migration has adversely influenced the economic growth of the African region as a whole. The splitting of sample into male and female migration also reflected the fact that the unsatisfied economic growth of the African region could be explained by the ever rising migration level. Other determinants such as employment and growth of physical capital have helped the region in the growth journey. Human capital has not played a vital role in economic growth as it is adversely affected by migration. Further, the study found support for the positive impact of moderate inflation on economic growth. The obtained results are robust to alternative methodologies and hence would be beneficial for policymakers. Originality/value: The present study provides for the first time comprehensive empirical evidence on the relationship between migration and economic growth by focusing on Africa. Therefore, this study would be of prime importance for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a gender analysis of the World Bank's recent Policy Research Report. It assesses the implications for women, and more widely for gender relations, of the World Bank's approach to land relations. The analysis focuses on two issues: the Report's promotion of formal rural credit and its assumption of the availability of women's agricultural labour. This paper challenges the notion of 'non-contractible labour', as well as the Report's use of the household as a unit of analysis and its underlying assumption of motivated family labour. It discusses the consequences for households of defaulting on rural loans and challenges the Report's attempts to link the promotion of credit markets and reliance on women's unpaid labour to poverty reduction. In light of this discussion, the paper argues that it continues to be important for advocates of women's rights in Africa to be attentive to land issues and in particular to respond to the World Bank's land agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the conceptual framework of social reproduction as a way of reassessing the AIDS crisis in Africa, this paper finds contradictory tendencies: a devastating impact on agricultural modes of livelihood which sustain the majority and which enable workers to present themselves as cheap labour, but also a crisis for the reproduction of capital as its supply of such labour is depleted. The impact on and response to the epidemic by the state is explored as well as its reflection of marked gender and class inequalities. Conversely the impetus to certain fractions of capital which benefit from AIDS and the confrontation of the state and pharmaceutical companies by an emergent populist movement demanding the right to treatment, exposes the extent to which transformation rather than simple reproduction is in evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a substantial increase in aid funds, it is realistic to expect to achieve several key Millennium Development Goals. There is thus a strong case for such an increase. Arguments that a surge in aid will yield diminishing or even negative returns are unconvincing and exaggerated. If donors become less intrusive and harmonise their efforts, the quality of aid can be enhanced. And concerns about the absorptive capacity of recipient governments are overstated. Capable specialists in fields like education and health are present in strength at intermediate levels across Africa, their skills untapped owing to inadequate funds. There is abundant evidence that appropriately structured aid initiatives make significant impacts. Arguments that aid discourages policy change are unconvincing -- witness the extensive policy reforms of recent years. With less emphasis on technical assistance, and more on programmes to provide goods and services to the poor and on government-led initiatives, increased aid can produce substantial gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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