Erudite Series on the future of Africa: Financial flows

Inward financial flows including aid, remittances and investment have the potential to improve Africa’s development prospects.

Today, private financial flows (FDI) and remittances have overtaken aid in their impact and significance. Remittances are Africa's largest source of external financial flows but their effect on economic growth is limited. Diaspora bonds and other emerging products have the potential to advance progress.

Foreign direct investment has the most significant impact on growth and GDP per capita. It also has considerable impact on reducing poverty in lower-middle- and upper-middle-income groups. FDI is important for its contribution to knowledge and skills as well as technology transfer opportunities Aid has the single largest impact on poverty amongst low-income group countries.

This seminar is co-hosted by AUDA-NEPAD and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

Read the full Financial Flows report here.

Moderator: Pamla Gopaul, AUDA-NEPAD, Programme Office Knowledge Dissemination

Presenter: Dr Kouassi Yeboua, Senior Researcher, African Futures & Innovation, ISS

Panellist: Dr Amit Jain, Director of the NTU-SBF Centre for African Studies, Singapore University

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