Human Development in Africa: A Long-Run Perspective

This research provides a long-term perspective on human development in Africa, using an alternative index to the UNDP's Human Development Index (HDI). It reveals a consistent improvement in African human development, although it lags behind other developing regions. Sub-Saharan Africa has increasingly fallen behind North Africa since the mid-20th century. Progress is linked to coastal and resource-rich countries and hindered by political-economic distortions. Education has been the primary driver of human development in Africa over the last half-century, with advances since 1990 almost exclusively due to educational achievements. The impact of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy and economic mismanagement on growth has also influenced human development. The recovery in the last decade varies across countries, suggesting a cautious outlook for the future.

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The research method involved constructing a new index of human development, the “improved” Human Development Index (IHDI), as an alternative to the UNDP's HDI. This index was used to assess long-run trends in Africa's well-being. The study also examined the association between human development and various factors such as geography, resource endowment, and political-economic distortions. The research analyzed data on life expectancy, education, and per capita income to determine the contributions of each dimension to overall human development.

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The research examines human development in Africa from a historical perspective, constructing a new index called the “improved” Human Development Index (IHDI). The study finds that although there has been a steady improvement in human development in Africa, the region's progress has not kept pace with other developing areas. The research identifies positive associations between human development and countries that are coastal and resource-rich, while negative associations are linked to political-economic distortions. The study notes that education has been the key driver of progress in African human development since 1950. However, the spread of HIV/AIDS and economic mismanagement have hindered growth and life expectancy, causing human development advances since 1990 to rely almost exclusively on education. The research also finds a divergence within Africa, with Sub-Saharan Africa falling behind North Africa. The recovery observed in recent years has been uneven across regions, leading to a cautious outlook for the future.

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Categories: Africa geographic scope | English publication language | africa | coastal countries | economic growth | education | hdi | human development | human development initiative | ihdi | life expectancy | political-economy distortions | public good | resource-rich countries | sub-saharan africa