|
Showing 1 - 4 of
4 matches in All Departments
The blue economy, comprising coastal and marine resources, offers
vast benefits for sub-Saharan Africa: of the 53 countries and
territories in the region, 32 are coastal states; there are 13
million sq km of maritime zones; more than 90% of the region's
exports and imports come by sea; and the African Union hails the
blue economy as the 'new frontier of African renaissance'. Despite
their importance, the region's coastal and marine resources have
been neither fully appreciated nor fully utilized. They are only
now being recognized as being key to Africa's potential prosperity.
As the region grows, it has, in general, not taken adequate
safeguards to protect these valuable resources. That is partly
because some of the problems (pollution, for example) are regional
and know no borders. All too often, short-term gains are made at
the expense of the long term (overfishing, for example). This book
provides, for the first time, a study of the constraints and
opportunities the blue economy offers for sub-Saharan Africa. It
includes an introduction and overview; sectoral analyses (including
tourism, fisheries, mineral resources, culture, shipping and
maritime safety); country case studies; and analyses of regional
and international efforts towards better coastal zone and marine
management.
Sub-Saharan Africa is vastly diverse, and the 49 countries of the
region range significantly in terms of population, size and
economic scale. The region also differs in topography, climate,
history, culture, languages and political systems. Given this vast
diversity, it is, accordingly, difficult to draw general
conclusions about the continent's economic performance as a whole.
Additionally, the lack of current statistics for several countries
makes it difficult to make accurate assessments of economic
conditions. Nevertheless, some broad comparisons can be made: of
the world's developing areas, sub-Saharan Africa has the worst
record in virtually all of the most important social and economic
indicators: the region has the lowest gross national income per
head, the lowest life expectancy at birth, the lowest youth
literacy rate, the highest rate of adult HIV infection and the
highest number of children not living past five years of age. This
volume begins by examining recent economic developments and trends.
It then looks at the major economic constraints the region has
faced in recent years, breaking down those constraints as either
'external' (e.g. terms of trade) over which the individual
countries have but limited control, or 'internal' (e.g. governance
and economic policy), over which there is more control. The book
concludes by arguing that, despite the notable challenges cited
above, sub-Saharan Africa is poised for a transformation, based on
closer regional economic co-operation, a growing middle class,
increased demand for locally produced goods and services, and a
young population.
Sub-Saharan Africa is vastly diverse, and the 49 countries of the
region range significantly in terms of population, size and
economic scale. The region also differs in topography, climate,
history, culture, languages and political systems. Given this vast
diversity, it is, accordingly, difficult to draw general
conclusions about the continent's economic performance as a whole.
Additionally, the lack of current statistics for several countries
makes it difficult to make accurate assessments of economic
conditions. Nevertheless, some broad comparisons can be made: of
the world's developing areas, sub-Saharan Africa has the worst
record in virtually all of the most important social and economic
indicators: the region has the lowest gross national income per
head, the lowest life expectancy at birth, the lowest youth
literacy rate, the highest rate of adult HIV infection and the
highest number of children not living past five years of age. This
volume begins by examining recent economic developments and trends.
It then looks at the major economic constraints the region has
faced in recent years, breaking down those constraints as either
'external' (e.g. terms of trade) over which the individual
countries have but limited control, or 'internal' (e.g. governance
and economic policy), over which there is more control. The book
concludes by arguing that, despite the notable challenges cited
above, sub-Saharan Africa is poised for a transformation, based on
closer regional economic co-operation, a growing middle class,
increased demand for locally produced goods and services, and a
young population.
The blue economy, comprising coastal and marine resources, offers
vast benefits for sub-Saharan Africa: of the 53 countries and
territories in the region, 32 are coastal states; there are 13
million sq km of maritime zones; more than 90% of the region's
exports and imports come by sea; and the African Union hails the
blue economy as the 'new frontier of African renaissance'. Despite
their importance, the region's coastal and marine resources have
been neither fully appreciated nor fully utilized. They are only
now being recognized as being key to Africa's potential prosperity.
As the region grows, it has, in general, not taken adequate
safeguards to protect these valuable resources. That is partly
because some of the problems (pollution, for example) are regional
and know no borders. All too often, short-term gains are made at
the expense of the long term (overfishing, for example). This book
provides, for the first time, a study of the constraints and
opportunities the blue economy offers for sub-Saharan Africa. It
includes an introduction and overview; sectoral analyses (including
tourism, fisheries, mineral resources, culture, shipping and
maritime safety); country case studies; and analyses of regional
and international efforts towards better coastal zone and marine
management.
|
|