In this endnote address delivered at the 11th General Assembly of CODESRIA, held in Maputo in 2005, Jomo Kwame Sundaram notes that over three decades of economic stagnation, contraction and increased poverty have taken a huge toll on Africa’s economic, social and political fabric; and pro-active efforts are urgently required in order to build new capacities and capabilities for development. He argues that much of the ostensible conventional wisdom regarding African development and poverty is often both erroneous and harmful.
Even the IMF has acknowledged that international financial liberalization has exacerbated volatility. Worse still, there is strong evidence
that some of the economic policy advice given to, and conditionalities imposed on governments in Africa have reflected vested interests and prejudice. In view of these, and the fact that economic growth and development do not necessarily reduce poverty and inequalities, Sundaram calls for greater ‘policy space’ for African governments to choose or design their own development strategies, as well as develop and implement more appropriate development policies.
Jomo Kwame Sundaram
ISBN : 2-86978-232-7
CODESRIA 2008
Winner of the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa 1994 this ground-breaking work in a reassessment of economic history which discusses massive changes in some detail as colonialism took a hold on the continent. Themes covered include: environment and demography, agriculture, mining and manufacture, trade, imperialism.
"an ambitious, skilfully written, and exhaustively researched synthesis of African economic history in the 19th century." The citation goes on to say that "the book is an exercise in convincing challenge to hitherto accepted orthodoxies, terminologies, and interpretations, outstanding, pioneering work, destined to become highly influential, and providing such a wealth of information and details as to elevate the study of African economic history to a new pedestal."
Noma Award Jury Citation
"This extensive and well-written survey of nineteenth century African Economic life sets an impressive standard...Zeleza's mastery of the literature in impressive, as are his skills of synthesis and argument. For an audience of Africanists, this is an excellent general statement of the issues and evidence in African economic history."
Journal of African History
"...in a class of its own. ...it has become a major event in the contemporary historiography of Africa"
Egerton Journal
Paul Tiyambe Zeleza
ISBN: 2-86978-027-3
CODESRIA 1993