This book discusses policy strategies for the effective management of natural resources in Africa within the context of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). While natural resource wealth has the potential to lift many out of poverty, sustain economic growth, and foster political stability, it does not guarantee these benefits. The absolute levels of human development in many resource-rich countries remain low, despite their apparent wealth. The challenge is to adopt policies that better harness the potential of natural resources, not only as an opportunity for development, but also to foster policies and institutional innovations that manage resource wealth equitably and boost human capital. To this end, this volume highlights key opportunities and solutions for harnessing natural resources for sustained economic development and explain how such approaches should be incorporated into the SDG agenda. These opportunities are communicated in the form of policy recommendations that in some cases, are country specific but can (and should) be adapted by individual African countries where applicable. With a broad perspective supplied by a diverse group of authors, this book will be useful for graduate students and academicians studying Africa, development economics, economic policy, and resource management, as well as policy makers, NGOs, and IGOs.

Could regional integration be a first step toward joining the global market? In a context where liberalizing trade has not produced the expected gains in developing countries and growth in global trade has not led to the expected economic growth, an alternative solution has emerged. This new paradigm suggests that trade liberalization should be accompanied by public investment. However, by its very nature, trade liberalization leads to a reduction in revenues from duties and taxes, which means that the available resources for public investments will also be reduced. There are now solid arguments for encouraging the less-developed countries to first emphasize regional integration before trying to access the global market.

This book explores the issues linked to regional integration in West Africa and presents empirical data about the experiences in = West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries to converge their economies. It also examines how these efforts, which make a major contribution to regional integration, influence poverty reduction in the economic and monetary community. It will be of interest to researchers working in this area.

Elias T. Ayuk is Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana, and was formerly a senior program specialist at the International Development Research Centre. Samuel T. Kabore is a researcher/lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Ouagadougou II, Burkina Faso.

Canada s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most.

Elias T. Ayuk is Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana, and was formerly a senior program specialist at the International Development Research Centre. Samuel T. Kabore is a researcher/lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Ouagadougou II, Burkina Faso.

Canada s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most.

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Could regional integration be a first step toward joining the global market? In a context where liberalizing trade has not produced the expected gains in developing countries and growth in global trade has not led to the expected economic growth, an alternative solution has emerged. This new paradigm suggests that trade liberalization should be accompanied by public investment. However, by its very nature, trade liberalization leads to a reduction in revenues from duties and taxes, which means that the available resources for public investments will also be reduced. There are now solid arguments for encouraging the less-developed countries to first emphasize regional integration before trying to access the global market. This book explores the issues linked to regional integration in West Africa and presents empirical data about the experiences in = West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries to converge their economies. It also examines how these efforts, which make a major contribution to regional integration, influence poverty reduction in the economic and monetary community. It will be of interest to researchers working in this area. Elias T. Ayuk is Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana, and was formerly a senior program specialist at the International Development Research Centre. Samuel T. Kabore is a researcher/lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Ouagadougou II, Burkina Faso. Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most. Elias T. Ayuk is Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana, and was formerly a senior program specialist at the International Development Research Centre. Samuel T. Kabore is a researcher/lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Management at the University of Ouagadougou II, Burkina Faso. Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most.

L integration regionale comme premier pas vers l acces au marche mondial? Dans un contexte ou la liberalisation du commerce n'a pas entraine les gains escomptes par les pays sous-developpes et ou la croissance du commerce mondial ne s est pas accompagnee d une croissance economique equivalente, une solution alternative a emergee. Un nouveau paradigme a fait valoir que la liberalisation des echanges devait s accompagner d investissements publics. Cela dit, la nature meme de la liberalisation du commerce entraine une diminution des ressources necessaires aux investissements publics. Sur la base d arguments solides, les pays sous-developpes sont donc actuellement encourages a mettre d abord l accent sur l'integration regionale avant de rechercher l acces au marche mondial. Cet ouvrage, qui aborde les questions liees a l integration regionale en Afrique de l ouest, presente des donnees empiriques sur les efforts entrepris par les pays de l'Union economique et monetaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA) pour la convergence de leurs economies. Il examine egalement comment ces efforts, qui representent un element important pour l integration regionale, influent sur la reduction de la pauvrete dans les pays de l UEMOA. Il interessera par consequent tous les chercheurs qui travaillent sur ce theme.