Economic Development in Africa 2005

Africa’s particular combination of geographical, historical and structural features has traditionally attracted Foreign Direct Investment into enclaves of export-oriented primary production with limited linkages to the rest of the economy. This situation has not changed much in recent years and has contributed to undermining a self-sustaining and dynamic investment process. This Report calls for a rethinking of the one-sided emphasis on attracting FDI and its replacement with a more balanced and more strategic approach tailored to African socio-economic conditions and development challenges.