debt and poverty in africa

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1、DebtandPovertyinAfricaTheNorth-SouthInstitutewelcomesthisopportunitytoparticipateinthisroundtableonAfricanissuesandtopresentontheissueofpovertyanddebtinAfrica.DuringtheremainderofthispresentationparticularreferencewillbemadetoSub-SaharanAfricabecauseIbelievethatthisis

2、theregionwheretheissuesofpovertyanddebtpresentuswiththegreatestimmediatechallenges.However,Iurgethesub-CommitteetorememberthatalthoughpovertyanddebtareoflessimmediateconcerninNorthAfrica,humanrightsinparticular,andhumansecurityingeneral,remainoftremendousconcerninthat

3、region.LetmestartbypointingoutsomesoberingfactsaboutSub-SaharanAfrica.Thesefactswhicharenotmeanttoelicityoursympathy,butrather,topointouthowfarandforhowlongthisregionhasbeenallowedtoslideoutoftheworld'speripheralvision.·In1995thepercapitaincomeofSouthAsians(intermsofp

4、urchasingpower)surpassedthatofSub-SaharanAfricans—makingSub-SaharanAfricathepoorestregionintheworld.Thatstatisticmayseemrelativelymeaninglessuntilweconsiderthatin1980(measuredinthesameterms)percapitaincomeinSub-SaharanAfricawastwicethatofSouthAsia·Averagepercapitainco

5、meinAfricain1997wasonly75percentofwhatithadbeenin1980,representinganaveragenegativegrowthrateof1.6%ayearoverthatperiod.·Incomedistributionwasalsoworseningduringthatperiod.In1980theincomeofthewealthiest10%ofthecontinent'spopulationwas37timeshigherthanthatofthepoorest10

6、%,in1995itwas62timeshigher.·Thepoorthusboreadisproportionateshareoftheburdenofnegativegrowth.Theaveragerateofannualpercapitaincomegrowthforthepoorest20%ofSub-SaharanAfrica'spopulationwas-2.0between1980and1995.(Fortherichest10%itwasonly-1.2%).·Thedualrealitiesoffalling

7、incomesandworseningincomedistributionintheregionhavemeantthatpovertyinAfricahasbeenincreasingfasterthaninanyotherregionoftheworld.The(approximate)proportionofthecontinent'spopulationlivingonlessthanadollaradayincreasedfrom(aroughestimateof)18%in1980to24%in1995.Africaw

8、astheonlycontinentthatrecordedanincreasethenumberslivingatsuchadesperatelevelofdeprivation.Thenumberslivingonlessthana$1000a