Suchergebnisse

An analysis of the experience of Ghana and Zambia in operating structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) illustrates well the debate taking place on the appropriateness of these programmes in the context of African economies. Both countries faced major economic crises in the 1980s. While supporters of SAPs see Ghana as the success story of World Bank and IMF policies, Zambia is regarded as a prime example of failure because of non‐adoption of these policies. However, this article shows why in the short run, Ghana could have been expected to perform better than Zambia anyway. It further shows that the Ghana programme is not likely to be replicable by other countries and that even in Ghana, the relative success of the programme may not be sustainable. In analysing Zambia's experience with an IMF/World Bank programme, it is argued that her economic structure made short‐term gains from adjustment impossible and led to the programme's abandonment in favour of a government programme which itself failed to address fully the nature of Zambia's economic crisis. Given the weakness of world commodity markets and the inadequacy of international capital flows to these countries, not only Zambia, but also Ghana is likely to find the future very difficult.

Case studies of the appropriateness of IMF and World Bank programs, 1983-87. Partial contents: Impact of devaluation; Exchange rate policy; Food production sector; Export promotion; Debt servicing.

Vergleich der Erfolge und Mißerfolge in den Wirtschaftspolitiken Ghanas und Sambias im Zusammenhang mit den von Weltbank und IWF entworfenen Strukturanpassungen. Sie wurden in Ghana erfolgreich angewandt und in Sambia abgelehnt. Im Aufsatz wird nachgewiesen, daß Ghanas kurzfristiger Aufschwung ohnehin zu erwarten war. Das Programm für Ghana ist auf andere Länder nicht übertragbar und die längerfristigen Erfolgschancen werden skeptisch beurteilt. Sambias Wirtschaftsstruktur macht solche kurzfristigen Erfolge unmöglich, aber auch die eigenen Regierungsprogramme verfehlten ihr Ziel. Einzelne Aspekte: Währungspolitik; Nahrungsmittelproduktion; Exportförderung; Schuldendienst; Wirtschaftsstimulierung. (DÜI-Wsl)

The report begins by examining the economic structure and in particular the extreme dependence of Zambia on production of copper for export and the implications of this for policy towards the rural sector. Section 2 then looks in detail at the origins and dimensions of the economic crisis stressing the centrality of external shocks and the weakness of state policy in reacting to them. Section 3 reflects on the difficulties to be expected in implementing orthodox structural adjustment policies in mineral dependent economies. Section 4 then examines the impact of crisis and adjustment on both the urban and, more centrally, the rural sectors. Finally, in Section 5, the policy implications of the Zambia experience are assessed