African Development Review-Revue Africaine De Developpement最新文献

This study investigates the determinants of educational attainment in the MENA region, aiming to address persistent shortcomings in access and outcomes. Using data from the SAHWA Youth Survey (2016), we analyze a sample of youth from five Arab countries and apply an ordered probit model to examine educational attainment across four levels. The results indicate that boys and urban residents are less likely to attain higher levels of education compared to girls and rural residents. Additionally, private tutoring and enrollment in private institutions significantly increase the likelihood of reaching tertiary education. Household characteristics and parental profiles play a critical role in shaping educational outcomes. Country-specific analyses reveal diverse socio-economic and policy environments, underscoring the need for tailored interventions. Robustness checks using ordered logit models confirm the consistency of our findings. This study contributes valuable insights for addressing educational disparities and offers a solid foundation for policy formulation and future studies in the MENA region.

Yes, this paper, based on the optimal taxation approach, confirms the existence of unexploited fiscal space within WAEMU that member states could leverage to finance productive investments. Using the models of Scully (1996) and quadratic specifications within panel time-series models with heterogeneous slopes, the results provide clear evidence of an inverse U-shaped tax-growth relationship. The findings show that since 1980, the fiscal performance of WAEMU countries has been suboptimal. The optimal level of taxation that maximizes growth over the period 1980–2017 is estimated at 20.6% of GDP. In comparison, the average tax rate was 12.6% of GDP over the same period, indicating an uncollected revenue potential of 8.0% of GDP. This confirms the existence of fiscal space that could be mobilized to finance productive public expenditures and stimulate economic activity while reducing reliance on debt. The results also indicate that optimal tax rates differ across countries in the zone, meaning that the available fiscal space varies from one country to another. The paper recommends measures focused on promoting fiscal citizenship, broadening the tax base, and strengthening tax and customs administration, particularly the systems for taxpayer reporting.

This analysis utilizes data from February 2000 to December 2023 to investigate Tunisia's growth and the synchronization of its classical cycle with Morocco and Algeria. A Markov-Switching Bayesian Vector Autoregression (MS-BVAR) model-based advanced econometric approach is employed to investigate the alignment of economic dynamics and regional cooperation. MS-BVAR analyzes regime changes and cyclical co-movements. The study also examines the impact of trade integration, macroeconomic policy, and institutions on the business cycle synchronization of three Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) countries. The analysis clarifies these secondary objectives to enhance knowledge of economic convergence mechanisms and prevent the dispersion of the study framework. This method links methodology to expected findings, ensuring consistency in interpreting regional economic dynamics. The growth and economic cycles of the AMU countries have shifted. This highlights the structural differences in their economies. Although the AMU exists despite asymmetric shocks, experience demonstrates that such inequalities hinder policy efficacy. Fiscal transfers and coordination are needed to correct structural divergences. North Africa can cooperate, but misaligned economic cycles can cause policy mismatches. Better synchronization reduces costly modifications and makes policy more predictable, improving cooperation. Instead of ruling out collaboration, the study emphasizes adaptive policies that overcome asymmetries.

The decline in social relations is one of the main obstacles to the well-being of the elderly in Africa. Using cross-sectional data from 31 sub-Saharan Africa countries, corresponding to 42,224 respondents including 2558 elderly women aged 55 and over, this study examines the effect of social media use on the subjective well-being of older African women. The ordered probit with an endogenous regressor framework has been adopted to analyze the data. This approach addresses the possible endogeneity bias when the ordinal dependent variable and regressor are both endogenous. The major finding reveals that social media use improves the likelihood of high subjective well-being among older African women. This increase is greater for absolute subjective well-being than for relative subjective well-being. In addition, the aforementioned is more pronounced for educated women and those who are satisfied with democracy in their country. However, older women who are victims of corruption and those with a lack of cash income experience a reduction in subjective well-being. It is therefore important that the development of information and communication technology infrastructures and their corollary, social media use, be integrated into public strategies for adapting to the aging population and the resulting social problems.

It is now well established that institutional trust is crucial for mobilizing tax revenues. However, this trust is often eroded by economic and social policies that fail to enhance population well-being. This article analyzes how perceptions of living conditions influence trust in tax administration, using data from the Afrobarometer survey (round 8) across 34 African countries. The methodology involves a three-stage approach: descriptive analysis to explore correlations between perceived living conditions and trust in fiscal institutions; multivariate techniques, including Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Ascendant Classification, to group countries based on these variables; and ordered probit modeling to assess causality, incorporating control variables such as individual characteristics and addressing endogeneity through an extended ordered probit model. The main findings reveal that poor living conditions negatively impact trust in tax administration, whereas positive perceptions of living conditions enhance trust. This relationship holds across various homogeneous groups, underscoring its robustness. This underscores the need for economic policies that prioritize improving living conditions to build trust in tax administration. Recommended policies include promoting investment and innovation to create jobs and boost incomes; investing in public infrastructure (e.g., roads, schools, and hospitals) to enhance service access and combating corruption to increase transparency and fairness in public administration. These measures could strengthen trust in institutions and improve tax compliance.

Digital financial services (DFSs) have emerged as a pivotal instrument for enhancing access to essential financial services. In Senegal, despite significant progress, persistent inequalities continue to limit access to DFS. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of digital financial inclusion. Utilizing the Global Findex data from the World Bank's 2021 edition for Senegal and a Probit model, the study's findings indicate that socioeconomic and demographic factors significantly influence access to and utilization of DFS. Specifically, women are less likely to access and use DFS. Furthermore, individuals aged 25–50 demonstrate a higher propensity for possessing mobile money accounts and debit cards, as well as a greater inclination to utilize DFS compared to young adults aged 15–24. Additionally, access to and utilization of digital DFS are influenced by place of residence (urban or rural), educational attainment, and income level. The findings of this study suggest that promoting financial education, adapting financial services to the needs of target populations, establishing a favorable regulatory framework, and developing digital infrastructures are essential mechanisms for enhancing access to and use of DFS.