Avoiding the Middle-Income Trap in Africa: Economic Challenges and Policy Responses

This book describes and addresses the challenges faced by middle-income countries, who have sustained enough economic growth to transition out of low-income status, but who are unable to grow fast enough to resemble high-income countries. By mapping development trends since the 1960s, it examines the causes of the middle-income trap and the specific economic conditions that define the countries in this position. The policies that have previously helped other countries escape the middle-income trap are evaluated to create a policy framework for African countries attempting to bridge the development gap.

This book, which brings together case studies from the Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, and Morocco, offers a new model for economic growth that considers the history of Africa and the economic challenges the continent currently faces. It will be of interest to researchers and policymakers working in development economics, African economics, and economic policy.

Dr. Emmanuel Pinto Moreira is a Director at the African Development Bank (AfDB). Dr. Pinto Moreira, is an economist fully committed to policy oriented and analytical works. He has about 30 years of experience in macro-fiscal, growth, and poverty related works, in middle-income and low-income countries of Middle-East and North Africa, East-Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan African Regions. Before joining AfDB, Dr. Pinto Moreira was the Regional Lead Economist for the Middle East North Africa (MENA) Region at the World Bank Group. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Dr. Pinto Moreira worked at the International Monetary Fund as Senior Economist in the Middle East and Central Asia Department in charge of fiscal issues, and Senior Advisor to the Executive Director for the 24 Francophone African Countries.

Before joining the IMF and the World Bank at the Headquarters in Washington DC, Dr Pinto Moreira was Professor of Economics in France. He taught undergraduate courses in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and Statistics at the University of Lorraine (France).

Dr. Pinto Moreira has authored many research papers and publications.