Auteur :
Lall
Sanjaya
Année de Publication :
2005
Type : Article
Thème : Industrie
Africa’s industrial performance has been poor and its ability to industrialize successfully isunder increasing question. This paper argues that industrialization remains vital to Africandevelopment. It describes the current global industrial setting and analyses the recentperformance of African manufacturing relative to that of other developing regions. It findsthat Africa is becoming increasingly marginal to the technological dynamics of globaleconomy. It shows few signs of a responding to the competitive stimulus of liberalization orof attracting more mobile foreign productive factors. It analyses the reasons for thisperformance and argues that the basic problem of African industry lies not in the investmentclimate (which can certainly be improved) or in gaining market access to rich countries(which is already very good for manufactures, and has improved with initiatives like AGOA)but in the low level of its industrial capabilities. The paper concludes with the need toreconsider current African industrial strategy and to evolve a new strategy focused onbuilding capabilities.