Abstract
While governments everywhere are faced with formulating economic policy in order to achieve national objectives, the world economic system has evolved in ways that have made countries interdependent. International linkages through the balance of payments permit spillovers, internationally, of the effects of policy actions and non-policy disturbances, but they also impose constraints on the types and extent of use of various instruments that policy-makers must take into consideration. Particularly in Africa, the implications of international constraints for the conduct of economic policy is a topical issue. This topicality is due to the fact that although economic openness generally offers an opportunity for gains from international trade and capital flows, it has remained a major source of shocks to African economies. Moreover, while the benefits and tensions associated with economic interdependence are scarcely new phenomena nor limited to Africa, the generally poor economic performance of African economies in the 1970s and 1980s has raised issues regarding the effectiveness of the conduct of economic policy in African countries in the presence of external shocks and the role of the international financial system in African policy-making.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
African Centre for Monetary Studies (ACMS) (1979) ‘The Balance of Payments Problems of African Countries and their Impact on the Development Objectives’, (Dakar: ACMS) (unpublished).
African Centre for Monetary Studies (1989) ‘Export Price Trends and Problems of African Commodities in International Markets’, (Dakar: ACMS) (unpublished).
Collier, P. (1991) ‘Africa’s External Economic Relations, 1960–90’ African Affairs, vol. 90.
Dornbusch, R. (1976) ‘Exchange Rate Expectations and Monetary Policy’, Journal of International Economics.
Dornbusch, R. and Helmers, F. (eds) (1987) The Open Economy: Tools for Policymakers in Developing Countries, EDI series in Economic Development (Washington, DC: World Bank).
Fleming, J. M. (1962) ‘Domestic Financial Policies under Fixed and Under Floating Exchange Rates’, IMF Staff Papers.
Frenkel, J. A. and Musa, A. M. (1981) ‘Monetary and Fiscal Policies in an Open Economy’, American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings.
Holmes, Sir F. (ed.) (1987) Economic Adjustment: Policies and Problems (Washington, DC: IMF).
Helleiner, G. K. (ed.) (1986) Africa and the International Monetary Fund (Washington, DC: IMF).
International Monetary Fund (1980, 1985 and 1992) World Economic Outlook (Washington, DC: IMF).
Killick, T. (ed.) (1982) Adjustment and Financing in the Developing World (Washington, DC: IMF).
Killick, T. (1992) ‘Just How Important is France for Africa?’, in Patel, I. G. (ed.) Policies in African Development (Washington, DC: IMF).
Krugman, P. (1987) ‘External Shocks and Domestic Policy Responses’, in Dornbusch R. and Helmers F. L. (eds) The Open Economy (Oxford: EDI and Oxford University Press).
Lancaster, C. and Williamson, J. (eds) (1986) African Debt and Financing (Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics).
Mah’moud, M. I. (1985) ‘Possible National Strategies to the Balance of Payments in African countries’, Financial Journal, vol. 6, no. 2.
Mah’moud, M. I. (1988) ‘Strategies for Monetary Policy in African Countries’, ACMS Staff Papers, vol. 1 no. 1.
Mundell, R. A. (1963) ‘Capital Mobility and Stabilization Policy under Fixed and Flexible Exchange Rates’, Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science, vol. 29, no. 4.
Patel, I. G. (ed.) (1992) Policies for African Development (Washington, DC: IMF).
Phelps, E. S. (1986) ‘New Channels in the Transmission of Foreign Shocks’, in Calvo G., Findlay, R., Kouri P. and Braga de Macedo, J. (eds), Debt, Stabilization and Development (Oxford: Blackwell).
Quattara, A. (1986) ‘Design, Implementation and Adequacy of Fund Programmes’, in Helleiner, G. K. (ed.) Africa and the International Monetary Fund (Washington, DC: IMF).
Sachs, J. (1982) ‘Stabilization Policies in the World Economy: Scope and Skepticism’ American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings.
Salop, J. and Spitaeller, E. (1980) ‘Why Does the Current Account Matter?’ IMF Staff Papers, vol. 27.
Sharfer, Jeffrey R. (1984) ‘Stabilization Policies in Open Economies’, American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings.
Smith, G. W. and Cuddington, J. T. (1985) International Debt and the Developing Countries (Washington, DC: World Bank).
Teriba, O. (1992) ‘Financing Growth and Development in Africa: Outlook and Issues — a view from the UN Economic Commission for Africa’, in Patel, I. G. (ed.) Policies for African Development (Washington, DC: IMF).
World Bank (1989) Sub-Saharan Africa: From Crisis to Sustainable Growth (Washington, DC: World Bank).
Zulu, J. B. and Nsouli, S. M. (1985) Adjustment Programmes in Africa: The Recent Experience, Occasional Paper no. 34 (Washington, DC: IMF).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1994 International Economic Association
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mah’moud, M.I. (1994). International Constraints and Economic Policy-Making in African Countries. In: Bacha, E.L. (eds) Economics in a Changing World. International Economic Association Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-23458-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-23458-5_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-23460-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-23458-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Economics & Finance CollectionEconomics and Finance (R0)