Afrikanische Entwicklungsperspektiven
In a collaborative research project directed by Professor Hans H. Bass, Director of the Institute for Transport and Development/ITD, at Bremen University of Applied Sciences, the potentials of indigenous crops and fruits in West Africa for rural and urban domestic markets and for export markets are analyzed. Included in the research programme (covering Mali, Ghana and Nigeria) are the actual and potential value chains for indigenous fruits such as mangoes; the transformation of these fruits into sauces, syrups, and juices is studied and also the services needed for marketing these products in local, regional and international markets are investigated. The same type of value chain analysis is applied to products such as karate (shea) which is part of a complex agro-forestry eco-system with uses for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products; also cashew is included which is offering also huge potentials for processing in downstream industries such as in pharmacology. The research project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung/BMBF). The various phases of the research project are described in the Annual Report of ITD (see the Annual Report 2011/2012 of ITD/Institute for Transport and Development, Faculty Of Business And Economics, Hochschule Bremen/University Of Applied Sciences, Directors and Editors: Professors Hans-Heinrich Bass and Hans-Martin Niemeier; see Web Access: http://www.hs-bremen.de/internet/forschung/einrichtungen/itd/profil/itd_annual_report_final_version_100dpi.pdf).
Professor Karl Wohlmuth from the University of Bremen has contributed to this research project with an article on the role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for promoting agriculture, agro-industries and agribusiness in Africa. As country cases Nigeria and Ghana were considered in the essay. See on the publication details:
Wohlmuth, Karl, 2013, Promoting agriculture, agro-industry and agribusiness in Africa. The role of science, technology and innovation (STI), pp. 22-28, in: Promoting the Production of Cashew, Shea, and Indigenous Fruits in West Africa, edited by Hans-Heinrich Bass, published in: Institute for Transport and Development, ITD Annual Report, Supplement 2, Bremen: Bremen University of Applied Sciences, March 2013; Web Access at SSOAR (Social Science Open Access Repository) under http://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/33846 and Persistent Identifier (PID): http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-338461; the study is also accessible at University of Bremen's e-lib in: http://elib.suub.uni-bremen.de/edocs/00103145-1.pdf. Professor Wohlmuth has researched since 2009 intensively on issues of STI policies and agro-industrial development in Africa (see Publications Karl Wohlmuth).
In various essays Professor Wohlmuth outlines the role of Science, Technology and innovation (STI) as drivers of African Development (Link on Publications: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/publikationen/pub-wohlmuth.htm ). Considered are the major economic problems in Africa requesting significant STI inputs to be overcome (stagnation of agriculture, especially of cereals production; de-industrialization and low share of manufacturing in GDP; difficulties to transform trade structures at regional and global levels towards a higher value added content of exports). The African Union (AU) initiatives undertaken in this regard are characterized area by area. Main focus is on public interventions and on public-private partnerships to use STI infrastructure and STI policies more effectively. Three action levels are discussed to show how STI-based development can work towards value addition, employment creation and poverty reduction. The three action levels (building linkages between agriculture and agro-industry subsectors and STI infrastructure; incorporating STI inputs into agro-industrial value chains at all levels and ranks; and converting comparative advantages into competitive advantages by using specific STI inputs) are discussed in detail and matter in a new Agenda for African Development based on STI. The papers benefitted from consultancy work for UNIDO and participation and discussion at UNIDO/FAO/AU conferences in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Abuja, Nigeria (see also the project context of these researches: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/Agro-IndustrialDevelopment.htm).
Nicht nur im "Handbuch Sozialpolitiken der Welt", sondern auch im Band "Sozialpolitik in Entwicklungsländern" ist der Bremer Wirtschaftsprofessor Karl Wohlmuth mit einem Beitrag über die Sozialpolitik in den Republiken Sudan und Süd-Sudan vertreten. Die besondere Bedeutung dieses Bandes ergibt sich aus der Tatsache, dass die Sozialpolitik zu einem wichtigen Prüfkriterium für die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, insbesondere auch der Europäischen Union, geworden ist (vgl. Publikationen Karl Wohlmuth).
Der zweite European Report on Development (ERD) für das Jahr 2010 hat den Titel "Social protection for inclusive development - a new perspective in EU co-operation with Africa" (vgl. Link: http://erd.eui.eu/erd-2010/final-report/). In der Zwischenzeit liegt der vierte ERD vor (vgl. Link: http://www.erd-report.eu/erd/index.html) und thematisiert ebenfalls Fragen der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, und zwar mit dem Fokus auf die Post-2015 Global Agenda.
Zudem wird das Thema der Sozialpolitik für die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit und für die nationale Politik in Entwicklungsländern immer wichtiger, weil die Reaktion der Staaten auf die Weltfinanzkrise 2008/09 gezeigt hat, dass Entwicklungsländer mit einer aktiven Sozialpolitik Krisen schneller und besser überwinden können. Einkommens- und Beschäftigungsverluste sowie negative Folgen der Krise für Ernährung, Bildung und Gesundheit können eher bewältigt werden. Auch für die makroökonomische Steuerung ergeben sich Vorteile. Zudem wird die Politik der Armutsbekämpfung wesentlich effektiver, wenn grundlegende Elemente einer Sozialpolitik vorhanden sind und systematisch ausgebaut werden.
Sozialpolitik im Sudan und im Süd-Sudan, in:
Sozialpolitik in Entwicklungsländern - ein Handbuch, Berlin: LIT Verlag, 2013
(New Publication: Social Policies in Sudan and South Sudan,
in: Social Policies in Developing Economies - A Handbook, Berlin 2013)
Economic Policy for Peace, Development and Cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan:
This is the title of a paper proposed by Professor Karl Wohlmuth for the Annual Conference 2013 of the Graduate College and the Directorate of Scientific Research and Cultural Relations of the University of Khartoum, Republic of the Sudan. Professor Wohlmuth was invited to this event by the Graduate College and the Directorate of Scientific Research and Cultural Relations of the University of Khartoum. The theme of the conference is: "Towards a Confident Renaissance". The conference is held at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum and at the University of Khartoum-Main Campus.
The theme Economic Policy for Peace, Development and Cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan as submitted to the conference is based on the recent research work by Professor Karl Wohlmuth on Strategic Economic Cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan (see about the research program and the research output the link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/EconomicPoliciesInSudan.htm).
Researches on the Sudan at the University of Bremen have a long history dating back to the year 1978 (see the list of selected publications of the Sudan Economy Research Group/SERG with the link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/files/dateien/1535_serg_38_2_2011.pdf).
In Unit 1 of the forthcoming volume 16 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook with the title "Macroeconomic Policy Formation in Africa" there will by analyses of new macroeconomic policy approaches being of relevance for Africa.
First, it is analyzed how African governments can increase the macroeconomic policy space and especially the fiscal space for employment creation and social safety; new macroeconomic policy approaches are investigated in this direction and country cases are reviewed. An important result of the researches is that macroeconomic policy reforms and reforms of the relevant macroeconomic policy institutions can be quite effective in reducing unemployment and youth unemployment in Africa. This is important as growth in Africa is not inclusive enough in terms of employment creation and poverty reduction.
Second, the implications of the Euro crisis for African economies and their economic policies are analyzed; this is not only done for those countries whose currencies are pegged to the Euro, but also for other African country groups with different economic characteristics. As regional integration in Africa favors not only preferential trade agreements, free trade zones and customs unions but also more and more currency unions, the Euro crisis has lessons for Africa to be learned.
Third, it is analyzed how Africa is responding to the globalization trends and what this means for economic governance reforms and for macroeconomic policies and institutions. By reviewing the trends in economic governance and economic globalization it is possible to derive conclusions on policy reforms so that the frameworks and institutions for macroeconomic policies in Africa can then be changed and improved. Various country groups in Africa show in their macroeconomic policies quite different responses to globalization trends and to changes of governance systems.
Fourth, aspects of inclusive growth are discussed and related to macroeconomic policy reforms as traditional ("mainstream") macroeconomic policy approaches and frameworks have consistently neglected social issues (employment creation, social safety and cohesion, poverty reduction) and, more generally, inclusive growth and sustainable development strategies. Improving macroeconomic stability in a rather narrow sense was the main objective of these policies so far. Guidelines for new macroeconomic policies which aim at targeting inclusive growth are presented in the new volume of the Yearbook.
The Research Group of African Development Perspectives Bremen has cooperated with senior ILO experts and with leading researchers in the field to make this Unit 1 possible. While the Global Financial Crisis gave a push to the new macroeconomics for sustainable African growth and development, there are still gaps in regard of concrete guidelines so as to change the macroeconomic policies and institutions in Africa pro-actively. These gaps are filled by the researches and proposals in this volume of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook. The Yearbook is edited since 1989 by the Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen (see the link to the prior issues of the Yearbook: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/africanyearbook.htm).
Most of the work is done for this new publication project of the Research Group on African Development Perspectives Bremen, and it is expected that the new volume of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook with the title "Macroeconomic Policy Formation in Africa" will be released by the publisher in June 2013. Major issues are covered in the context of promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa by improving macroeconomic policies and especially by streamlining the process how these policies are managed (see the project description).
Beside of analytical surveys various country case studies and region-wide studies are presented. "Understanding the Economics of the Arab Spring Countries" is an issue which is discussed in a whole section of the book. A major issue is also throughout the book how macroeconomic policies and macroeconomic policy institutions can support the consolidation and the broadening of the growth process in Africa. Many examples are presented in the book of ways for increasing the policy space in this direction.
This is the volume 16 of a series which has taken up most important thematic issues of Africa's development since 1989. Scientific Coordinator of the program is Professor Karl Wohlmuth from the University of Bremen. Managing Editor of the Yearbook is Dr. Tobias Knedlik from IWH Halle an der Saale. A description of all the former issues is available (Link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/africanyearbook.htm).
An International Call for Papers for Volume 17 of the Yearbook will be published in the second half of 2013.
UNU-WIDER invites to its Annual Conference 2013 with the important theme "Learning to Compete: Industrial Development and Policy in Africa" (see the Link for paper submissions: http://www.wider.unu.edu/home/news/en_GB/call-for-papers-l2c/). It is an international conference held in the context of a collaborative research program (see the Link: http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/current-programme/en_GB/L2C-2010/).
Economics Professor Karl Wohlmuth works on similar lines. He has recently researched on strategies for converting comparative advantages into competitive advantages in Africa's agro-industry sectors (Link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/Agro-IndustrialDevelopment.htm). As a further project in this context, the planned volume 17 (for 2014) of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook will cover some of these issues under the umbrella title of Africa's Progress in Regional and Global Economic Integration (Links to the Yearbook Project: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/african_developm_.htm and http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/about.htm).
Soon after the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan (CPA) on January 9, 2005 the Research Project "Governance and Social Action in Sudan" started at IWIM, University of Bremen. It was directed by Professor Karl Wohlmuth and Dr. Elke Grawert. It was the purpose of the Project to follow up the process of transition after the CPA towards reconstruction of governance at various levels of decision-making, and thereby to analyze the conditions for development and a sustainable peace. A network of researchers from universities in Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and staff from IWIM, University of Bremen were involved. The Project was the first one approved in the context of the Volkswagen Foundation's new Sub-Saharan Africa Research Initiative, and it got generous support during two project phases (Links: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/Sudanforschung.htm and http://www.karl-wohlmuth.de/governance_and_social_action_in_sudan/Governance.htm). The Project had also a training component as PhD students and Master students were trained. By research workshops in Bremen and in all the other Project Countries the students were trained to do field research in and near the conflict areas (such as refugee camps, conflict areas, border areas, etc.).
Many publications were released by the project professors and by the project students. Considerable human capital was built and a future-oriented network of research partnerships has emerged. The trained young professionals are now starting their own research projects and use intensively the network that was established during these seven years of cooperative researches.
Now the Final Report to the Volkswagen Foundation was released by the Project Coordinator Dr. Elke Grawert. She is now Research Coordinator at the Bonn International Center for Conversion/BICC in Bonn. The Report will be released to the Public quite soon. Economics Professor Karl Wohlmuth from IWIM continues his researches on Sudan/South Sudan with a New Project on "Economic Cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan". There was a rather smooth process towards a Referendum on Independence of South Sudan on January 9, 2011 and towards the official Declaration of Independence of South Sudan on July 9, 2011. However, since these days the relations between the two states have deteriorated to the extent that now - over more than a year starting in January 2012 - the oil production in South Sudan had been stopped because of accusations of unfair treatment by the partner. The oil is produced near the international border in the South Sudan but the infrastructure of Sudan is needed for transport and processing towards export via Port Sudan. Both states now suffer from huge losses of public revenues and foreign exchange despite of the nine September 2012 agreements in Addis Ababa about all the open security, border and finance issues. A Strategic Economic Cooperation is needed between the two countries as the border regions of the two states are of extremely great economic importance for Sudan and South Sudan (Links: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/EconomicPoliciesInSudan.htm and http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/forschung/forsch-sudan.htm).
Unter diesem Titel fand kürzlich eine Podiumsdiskussion im Haus der Wissenschaft in Bremen statt, an der auch Frau Professor Dr. Edda Müller, die Vorsitzende von Transparency International Deutschland und Professor Dr. Karl Wohlmuth von der Universität Bremen teilnahmen (vgl. das Programm der Veranstaltung anlässlich des Antikorruptionstages und die Presseerklärung von Transparency International Bremen). Moderiert wurde die Podiumsdiskussion von Herrn Theo Schlüter, Radio Bremen. Professor Wohlmuth betonte, dass die diversen freiwilligen Transparenzinitiativen (z. B. EITI/Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, PWYP/Publish What You Pay) und die gültigen bzw. vorgesehenen gesetzlichen Transparenzregelungen (wie etwa im Frank-Dodd-Act in den USA verankert bzw. für die EU im Rahmen der Transparenz- und Buchungsrichtlinien vorgesehen) wohl bedeutsam sind, aber zur Regulierung der internationalen Rohstoffmärkte nur sehr bedingt beitragen können. Mehr ist nötig, insbesondere eine Rückbesinnung auf J. M. Keynes und seine Vorschläge zur Regulierung der internationalen Rohstoffmärkte, die er vor mehr als 60 Jahren im Zusammenhang mit der seinerzeit vorgeschlagenen Gründung einer Internationalen Handelsorganisation (ITO/International Trade Organisation) machte. Viele seiner konkreten Vorschläge sind nach wie vor aktuell und können teilweise auch über Waivers und andere Instrumente im WTO/GATT-System verwirklicht werden.
Die Teilnehmer an der Podiumsdiskussion (von links):
Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, Universität Bremen
Dr. Heidi Feldt, Entwicklungs- und Menschenrechtsexpertin
Theo Schlüter, Moderator, Radio Bremen
Stephan Werner, Portfoliomanager Rohstoffe, DWS
Annemieke Wijn, Nachhaltigkeitsexpertin Anchor Consult, früher General Manager Kraft Foods
Prof. Dr. Edda Müller, Vorsitzende Transparency International Deutschland e.V.
Auf dem Foto (von links):
Prof. Dr. Karl Wohlmuth, Universität Bremen
Dr. Heidi Feldt, Entwicklungs- und Menschenrechtsexpertin
Theo Schlüter, Moderator, Radio Bremen
Die Podiumsdiskussion wurde unter dem Titel "Korruption und Spekulation - Ursachen für viel Armut" von Radio Bremen/Nordwestradio Unterwegs aufgezeichnet (vgl. den Link: http://www-origin.radiobremen.de/nordwestradio/sendungen/nordwestradio_unterwegs/kalender102_date-20121214.html).
A Unit of the forthcoming issue 16 of the African Development Perspectives Yearbook with the theme "Macroeconomic Policy Formation in Africa" is now finalized and will consider the economic causes, the recent developments and the perspectives of the "Arab Spring" countries like Egypt and Tunisia. While the international discussion centers on political and international relations issues, the economics of the background factors to these revolutions in Arab countries is largely neglected.
IWIM joined forces with institutions in the region, like UNESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) in Beirut, UNDP's Regional Center in Cairo and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait to make this Unit possible. Research Director Magda Kandil from ECES (Egyptian Center for Economic Studies) and Professor Karl Wohlmuth, University of Bremen will introduce into the Unit. Background studies and country case studies are presented in the Unit. An analysis of the socioeconomic causes of revolutions in "Arab Spring" countries, an overview of recent developments in "Arab Spring" countries, and a strategic framework for new economic policies in "Arab Spring" countries are presented.
Other Units of this forthcoming volume of the Yearbook cover new macroeconomic policy approaches and frameworks for African countries, macroeconomic policies of low income and post-conflict countries in Africa, and macroeconomic policies in WAMZ (West African Monetary Zone) countries with special emphasis on Nigeria. Also a Book Reviews/Book Notes Unit is included.
The Yearbook Project will continue with the theme "Africa's Progress in Regional and Global Economic Integration" as Volume 17 for 2014 (Link to the Project Website: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/about.htm and link to the website with the description of the past volumes: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/africa/africanyearbook.htm).