Book Description

This anthology presents issues, challenges and progress in Rwanda, Mauritius, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Uganda towards Africa's acknowledgement through Agenda 2063 of the need for inclusive and sustainable development, and its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) of the United Nations. Dictated by overall ever unfolding realities, including economic, social, political, technological issues, the growth and development dictums have been reshaped and reframed continually, in an effort to accommodate and respond to emerging issues. Human development and inclusive growth and development, within the overall theme of sustainable development, are, for example, among the recent focuses of the global and national development agenda. The background is that as individuals, communities, and societies get richer, the worrying levels of inequalities, exclusion and disparities are becoming an area of concern, drawing the attention of governments, planners, civil societies, researchers and academia. A predominant current issue has been an appreciation of high economic growth in the last 10 years, which is nonetheless marred by pervasive levels of poverty and inequality. The issues covered include: trade; rural-urban linkages; the dynamics of poverty, vulnerability, and welfare; social policies for inclusive and sustainable development; productivity and informality; and financial direct support systems to the poor. The chapters are based on first-hand data, secondary data from different databases and systematic reviews of academic literature. Drawing on the findings and conclusions of the individual chapters, the book distills together the key lessons and also puts forward recommendations for policy and practice. It is a resource for researchers, policy and decision makers, academia and graduate students.