Leaving No One Behind: Can Rising Africa Beat the Odds Against Poverty?

Abstract

The number of poor people continues to rise in Africa, despite a slow decline in the poverty rate. Africa with a population of 422 million poor people, representing about 70 per cent of the world's poorest people shows that the global burden of poverty has shifted from the rest of the world to Africa. This paper discussed the causes of poverty on the continent and various responses by stakeholders toward accelerating its poverty reduction. It was found that with the available statistics and projections, Africa will still fall short of eradicating poverty by 2030, but it can bring it to a low level. The study, therefore, recommends that African policymakers should aim for growth that is inclusive and sustainable. International support from the world bank, ODA, G7, and others will play a vital role, especially through technology and resource transfers, also African continent need to improve its resource mobilization.