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Briefing paper

BP93: The uses of the Afrobarometer in promoting democratic governance

Afrobarometer Briefing Paper No. 93
2 Oct 2010
Download (English)

Over the past twenty years, approaches to development in Africa have undergone a fundamental change.  Practitioners no longer regard development as a largely technical exercise.  Economic growth and social wellbeing are now rarely seen as simple matters of, say, getting the prices right for maize production or finding a medical cure for guinea worm disease.  Instead, we now understand that technical fixes only work well if embedded in a political and organizational infrastructure that generates broad support for policies and ensures the reliable delivery of goods and services.  In short, development practitioners now recognize the critical importance of institutions.