Economic Commission For Africa Research Articles

Mapping digital health ecosystems in Africa in the context of endemic infectious and non-communicable diseases

Investments in digital health technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and telemedicine may support Africa achieve United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal for Health by 2030. We aimed to characterize and map digital health ecosystems of all 54 countries in Africa in the context of endemic infectious and non-communicable diseases (ID and NCD). We performed a cross-national ecological analysis of digital health ecosystems using 20-year data from the World Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, World Health Organization, and Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were used to characterize ecological correlations between exposure (technology characteristics) and outcome (IDs and NCDs incidence/mortality) variables. Weighted linear combination model was used as the decision rule, combining disease burden, technology access, and economy, to explain, rank, and map digital health ecosystems of a given country. The perspective of our analysis was to support government decision-making. The 20-year trend showed that technology characteristics have been steadily growing in Africa, including internet access, mobile cellular and fixed broadband subscriptions, high-technology manufacturing, GDP per capita, and adult literacy, while many countries have been overwhelmed by a double burden of IDs and NCDs. Inverse correlations exist between technology characteristics and ID burdens, such as fixed broadband subscription and incidence of tuberculosis and malaria, or GDP per capita and incidence of tuberculosis and malaria. Based on our models, countries that should prioritize digital health investments were South Africa, Nigeria, and Tanzania for HIV; Nigeria, South Africa, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) for tuberculosis; DROC, Nigeria, and Uganda for malaria; and Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia for endemic NCDs including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and malignancies. Countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Mozambique were also highly affected by endemic IDs. By mapping digital health ecosystems in Africa, this study provides strategic guidance about where governments should prioritize digital health technology investments that require preliminary analysis of country-specific contexts to bring about sustainable health and economic returns. Building digital infrastructure should be a key part of economic development programs in countries with high disease burdens to ensure more equitable health outcomes. Though infrastructure developments alongside digital health technologies are the responsibility of governments, global health initiatives can cultivate digital health interventions substantially by bridging knowledge and investment gaps, both through technology transfer for local production and negotiation of prices for large-scale deployment of the most impactful digital health technologies.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: Finance Ministers’ Meeting

Africa Research Bulletin: Economic, Financial and Technical SeriesVolume 60, Issue 3 p. 24220A-24221A Continental Developments ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: Finance Ministers’ Meeting First published: 05 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6346.2023.11044.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume60, Issue3May 2023Pages 24220A-24221A RelatedInformation

Strengthening the competencies of policy makers for better use of data in public policy design1

Statistical literacy is one of the main areas of work of the Global Network of Institutions for Statistical Training (GIST) established in 2017. While the scope of statistical literacy initiatives will range greatly from those intended for school children and teachers to those aimed at media representatives or general public, one of the areas where a dedicated Task Team of the GIST set out to undertake a more detailed analysis was related to the core data competencies for policy makers. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by UN member States has led to a growing awareness around the importance of timely, robust, quality and disaggregated data for informing public policies and decisions and providing a solid evidence to address a number of complex policy issues related to ensuring more equitable policy outcomes and more coherence decision-making across different dimensions of sustainable development and different levels of governance from global to national and local. This article presents the results of a survey conducted by the GIST Task Team on Statistical Literacy back in 2018 with the participation of policy makers from various UN Member States, reviews core data competencies for policy makers, presents the free, self-paced e-learning course developed by UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), UN Statistics Division and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) with support from the Swiss Government and using UNITAR’s Quality Assurance Framework, and discusses the ongoing work of the GIST on the inventory of statistical literacy initiatives as a new product developed by the dedicated Task Team.

Effects of Flexible Working Arrangement on Job Satisfaction

The rapid trend of changes and social issues in managing the global workforce has forced organizations to look for innovative ways of enhancing the job satisfaction of employees. Among these innovative approaches is the provision of Flexible Working Arrangements (FWAs). The purpose of this exploratory research was to identify the effects of FWAs, i.e., flextime schedule, compressed workweek, and telecommuting on job satisfaction from the perspective of the Ethiopian national employees of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa. To achieve this objective both descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted. The total population of the study was 250; out of which, 71% of responses were collected. A primary data collection method was implemented using a structured questionnaire. The analysis showed that there is significant positive effect of flextime schedule (R = .39, R2 = .264, p = .001) and compressed workweek (R = .39, R2 = .159, p = .039). This means that increase in the use of flextime schedules and compressed workweek enhances job satisfaction for employees of the ECA in Addis Ababa. The independent variables reported R = .39 and R2 = .15 which means that 15% of corresponding variations in employee job satisfaction can be explained by flexible working arrangements. Nevertheless, this study found out that there are no significant relationship of telecommuting (R = .39, R2 = .065, p = .398) on job satisfaction. Therefore, since the provision of FWAs is at the nascent stage, further studies on the effect of telecommuting on job satisfaction from Ethiopian employees context are highly recommended.

Togo

A technical assistance (TA) mission led by Mr. Fahd Ndiaye, Resident Adviser in Real Sector Statistics for AFRITAC West, visited Lomé from January 27 to 31, 2020, to assess the national accounts for the new base year 2016 with the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies. (INSEED). These accounts were prepared in accordance with the System of National Accounts 2008 (2008 SNA). The proceedings took the form of a workshop with representatives of the World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB),the Statistical and Economic Observatory of Sub-Saharan Africa (AFRISTAT), the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). This report is largely based on the aide-memoire signed with the country and partners.

Africa’s Free Trade Area: An Assessment of the Readiness of Regional Economic Communities in Continental Integration

The recently launched (July 2019) African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose setup begun in 2015, is widely seen as the crucial driver for economic growth, industrialization and sustainable development in Africa. The concluded agreement establishing the AfCFTA provides rules that will govern the movement of merchandise and services across the continent. It sets up the institutional framework that will guide and regulate the CFTA implementation processes. There is a recognition that the current path of economic regionalism in Africa is encouraging but has serious fractures on the continent and the global trading system. In the attempt to achieve an overarching continental strategy for continuous development, there are vestiges of regional economic integration schemes, in the areas of multiple economic alliances, overlapping schemes, the non-implementation of protocols and many other fractures. In an attempt to alleviate these vestiges, the latest wave of continental innovation – AfCFTA – raises a long-standing conundrum for continental order: when are regional organizations useful, and even essential complements to the ends of continental governance for benefit, and when do they threaten or undermine the achievement of these goals? This paper’s contention is that regionalism within Africa is anchored on many theories of integration, among them are functionalism, neo-functionalism, and intergovernmentalism, and based on the European integration experience. But drawing lessons from the enormous, political and economic as well as, security challenges confronting the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), how viable and ready can the RECs be used as ‘vehicles’ in support of the achievement of continental integration in Africa, when they are so ‘gullible’ themselves?

Position Paper and a Common List of Demands for Representatives of the Civil Society From Africa to Propose a Reform of International Corporate Taxation in the Fight Against Illicit Financial Flows

This position paper recommends the stand that representatives from civil society from Africa should take on the fight against Illicit Financial Flows (IFF). It is envisaged that tackling IFF from Africa requires reform of international corporate taxation. This tax system has many loopholes, and Transnational Corporations (TNCs) have exploited them. Profit shifting, and transfer pricing remain the primary drivers of corporate tax practices that facilitate IFF. Yet, these practices have not been adequately dealt with at both the international and regional fora. Estimates from the African Development Bank reveal that IFF have resulted in corporate tax losses in excess of a trillion dollars from Africa since 1980. The Tax Justice Network (TJN) and the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department estimate these losses at $500bn and $200bn respectively per annum. In 2015, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) published its High Level Panel Report on Illicit Financial Flows (HLP Report) in which it reported that Africa is losing more than $50 billion annually in IFFs. The Report asserted that this estimate may well fall short of reality because accurate data does not exist for all African countries, and these estimates often exclude some forms of IFFs that by nature are secret and cannot be properly estimated, such as proceeds of bribery and trafficking of drugs, people and firearms as well as corruption. In July 2018, at the High Level Policy Dialogue on Development Planning in Africa the Head of Development Planning and Statistics at the Economic Commission for Africa reported that $100 billion a year is illegally earned, transferred, or used due to mis-invoicing. These Tax losses resulting from IFF have become too serious to neglect anymore.

Adapting a Business Elite to Global Regimes of Financial Control: Analysis of Illicit Financial Flows from Africa

The article analyzes the problems associated with the illicit financial outflow from Africa and provides a critical analysis as well as the author’s own estimates of the amounts of funds illegally funneled from African countries to foreign jurisdictions. The paper points out significant discrepancies in quantitative estimates of the volume of illegal financial flows from different countries between the estimates UNECA, that of a number of NGOs specializing in this subject matter and the author’s own calculations based on the Direction of Trade Statistics database of the International Monetary Fund and completed according to the methodology and formulas used by The High Level Panel (HLP) on illicit financial flows of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The article systematizes and categorizes the fundamental causes, driving forces and motives that lead to the illicit outflows of capital from African countries and investigates common mechanisms and schemes of unlawful transborder transfers of funds. The publication exposes a key role of African business elites and corrupt officials in the steadily growing illegal export of capital from Africa, as well as sanctions and other restrictive measures that are taken in the world in order to prevent the widespread export of funds of illicit origin from Africa.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, New Fringe Pastoralism: Conflict, Security and Development in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Addis Ababa: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa - book review

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, New Fringe Pastoralism: Conflict, Security and Development in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Addis Ababa: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa - book review

Development Indicators at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, 1980-1990

This article reconstructs the discourse built by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on socio-economic indicators in the first decade of structural adjustment. While in the early 1980s such indicators were envisaged as a statistical language to translate the alternative ideas of the Lagos Plan of Action into an operational reality, over the course of the decade they were increasingly seen as tools to evaluate the human and social costs of the policies imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. This shift in emphasis informs a reflection on the “governance of indicators”, problematizing the relationship between development visions and quantification, and the dynamics which prevented the ECA’s vision from shaping African statistics in the way that was intended.

Nurturing young leaders: Training young African leaders can take societies to great heights

Thanks to a unique fellowship at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as an Ibrahim Leadership Fellow, Marian Yinusa is making an impact in the lives of school-age girls in her birthplace of northern Nigeria.

Identifying and Ranking Dangerous Road Segments a Case of Hawassa-Shashemene-Bulbula Two-Lane Two-Way Rural Highway, Ethiopia

According to the study made by United Nation Economic Commission for Africa, Ethiopia stands as one of the worst countries with respect to road safety performance in terms of traffic accident fatalities per 10,000 vehicles (i.e. 95 in 2007/8). Road safety generally depends on humans, vehicles, and highway conditions. These factors influence road safety separately or in combination. One of the basic means to improve road safety is to reduce hazardous conditions of roads. The main objective of this study is to identify and rank hazardous locations and propose appropriate simple and inexpensive countermeasures along Hawassa-Shashemene-Bulbula main two-lane rural road. Accordingly, the road and traffic data were collected from field investigation and Ethiopian Road Authority and accident data were gathered from police stations. Then, the study road equally divided into short sections of 1.5 km and traffic volume and accident frequencies assigned for each road site to predict theoretical frequencies of accident. Empirical Bayes method and Safety Performance Function have been used to estimate an index known as Potential for Safety Improvement (PSI) for each site of the study area to identify and rank road sites. The result showed that out of 43 road segments 22 of them were identified as dangerous road segments. Moreover, based on further criterion established for screening the ranked road sections 8 road segments were found the most dangerous road segments as they have contributed 76% of total PSI values. The degree of haphazardness of a given road segment in the study area has directly associated with the availability of risk indicating road and traffic factors. Finally, it recommends that regulatory body of road safety in the study area should give high priority and immediate response for the improvement of most dangerous road segments.

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: Infrastructure Investment Facility

Africa Research Bulletin: Economic, Financial and Technical SeriesVolume 54, Issue 4 p. 21665A-21665C Continental Developments ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: Infrastructure Investment Facility First published: 05 June 2017 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6346.2017.07643.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume54, Issue4June 2017Pages 21665A-21665C RelatedInformation

A journey through a fellowship at ITC

The Mo Ibrahim Fellowship has been described as a programme designed to mentor future African leaders. For example, fellows receive mentoring from the current leaders of key multilateral institutions: the International Trade Centre (ITC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Realising the Africa mining vision: the role of government-initiated international development think-tanks

This paper focuses on the role of international development think tanks in the realisation of the Africa Mining Vision (AMV), launched in February 2009 by the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union to articulate a new vision for the exploitation of Africa’s mineral resources. By government-initiated international development think-tanks is meant those think-tanks working in the field of international development that do not merely receive government support, but that were established by governments in partnership with the private sector with the overarching goal of furthering the governments’ economic diplomacy and foreign policy objectives. Australia and Canada established, respectively, the International Mining for Development Centre and the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute with the goal not only of contributing to public welfare improvements in developing countries through promoting sustainable mineral resource development but also of furthering their foreign policy objectives. This paper critically reviews the policies and approaches these two think tanks have adopted with a view to analyzing how they can contribute to the realization of the AMV. It also discusses how African countries can collaborate with these think tanks to realize the goals of the Vision, taking into account their local contexts and development trajectories. The choice of Australia and Canada is informed by the huge presence of their mining corporations in Africa and by the fact that Africa constitutes not less than one-third of the geographical focus of the two think tanks mentioned here. The article’s central argument is that despite the shortcomings of the think tanks, the programmes and strategies they have developed have the potential to contribute to the realisation of the AMV through the capacity building opportunities they create. It behoves African governments to leverage the opportunities to maximize the gains of foreign direct investment in the continent. One tool that would help Africa to leverage the opportunities is the adoption and strategic implementation of local content requirements in the mining sector.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Carlos Lopes: Financing Africa’s development agenda

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will build on the expiring Millennium Development Goals, which were launched in 2000 to end extreme poverty by 2015. What do the SDGs mean for African countries? Carlos Lopes, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), shared his thoughts with Africa Renewal’s Jocelyne Sambira in Addis Ababa and Kingsley Ighobor in New York.

Academic Staff Attrition at African Universities

tries, with 23 countries receiving significant funding for systemic change. Nearly one-third million students benefited directly, including more than 1,000 female scholarship beneficiaries. The assessment also found that the foundations invested more on higher education than would have been possible without the partnership. One leading initiative is in the area of information and communications technology identified as a priority intervention at a joint workshop with the UN Economic Commission for Africa. With an initial investment of more than $5 million, the partnership commissioned the African Virtual University to consolidate bandwidth demand from several universities and negotiate its acquisition from satellite companies at a significantly lower cost. No single foundation would have had the network and the human resources to start and sustain this effort over time. PHEA has also attracted the attention of other foundations and agencies. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation formally joined the partnership in April 2005. The six foundations have pledged to continue the partnership though 2010 and to invest $200 million over the next five years, expanding the number of beneficiary countries to include Kenya, Egypt, and Madagascar. Four special initiatives will receive joint support: (a) provision of broadband and utilization of information and communication technology to improve access to information and production of knowledge in African universities; (b) development of research on higher education innovations, institutional transformation,

Spatial Data Infrastructures in Africa: A Gap Analysis

The need for spatially explicit thematic data is currently increasing in parallel to the development of observing, storing and processing capabilities. This requires an integrated data management structure in which human and institutional aspects play a key role as part of a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). We focus in this study on the African continent to evaluate the status of its SDI implementation. Because assessing SDI at a continental scale in a traditional way (i.e. following methods developed for national assessments) requires financial resources and mechanisms only affordable to developed countries (e.g. European Union), alternative ways have been explored based on fourteen key SDI indicators that were validated by SDI experts in a previous study. Data was collected for each African country through the African leading SDI institution (UN Economic Commission for Africa) and through Internet searches. We found relatively weak scores of the fourteen SDI indicators for African countries compared to the rest of the World, but with notable differences within Africa. We discuss the implication of the lack of information available on the Internet to assess SDI status in Africa. We conclude that it is necessary to improve statistical information in most African countries. This requires an agreed-on geospatial data structure and organization between concerned institutions that is only achievable through a shared global vision on geospatial data governance. To this end, we suggest a few quick wins and several new mechanisms that would enhance the flow of SDI statistical information and improve data management structure in Africa.

Africa's economy set for dramatic changes - Interview: Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa

Following the launch of the 2014 Economic Report on Africa in Abuja, Nigeria, Carlos Lopes, the executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, attended the New York launch of the same report. The report addresses two essential questions: what are the right policies for industrialization and what role can the private and public sectors play? In an exclusive interview with Africa Renewal’s Kingsley Ighobor, Mr. Lopes explored these issues. These are excerpts from the interview.