Many analysts decry the level of investment in Africa, saying it is too low. But there is no evidence, in cross-country data or in microeconomic data from Tanzania, that private and public capital is productive in Africa. In that sense, investment in Africa may be viewed as too high

The traditional aid-to-investment-to growth linkages are not very robust, especially for African economies. Aid does not necessarily finance investment and investment does not necessarily promote growth. Differences in economic policy, on the other hand, can explain much of the difference in...

Aid does not necessarily finance investment, and investment does not necessarily promote growth. But the combination of private investment, good policies, and foreign aid is quite powerful. When societies themselves take the lead in putting growth-enhancing policies in place, foreign aid can...

While many analysts decry the lack of sufficient investment in Africa, we find no evidence that private and public investment are productive, either in Africa as a whole (unless Botswana is included in the sample), or in the manufacturing sector in Tanzania. In this restricted sense, inadequate...