The Impact of Good Governance on Socio-Economic Growth in Djibouti

Djibouti is a small, low-income country that faces significant governance challenges. Despite efforts to improve governance, Djibouti remains among the lowest-ranked countries globally in terms of political freedom and transparency. The relationship between governance and economic growth in Djibouti is not well studied. This study aimed to examine the impact of good governance on economic growth in Djibouti. Specifically, it analyzed the effects of political stability, institutional quality, and corruption on economic growth. The study utilized a quantitative, regression analysis approach. Secondary data on governance indicators and economic growth in Djibouti over 36 years (1987-2022) were gathered from World Bank sources. Political stability, institutional quality, and corruption were the independent variables, while GDP per capita was the dependent variable. The findings showed that political stability and reduced corruption significant positive impacts economic growth in Djibouti. However, contrary to expectations, improved institutional quality appeared to retard growth. Together, the governance variables explained over 50% of the variation in GDP per capita. The study provides important insights into the drivers of economic growth in Djibouti. The results highlight the need to promote political stability and combat corruption. However, strengthening institutional capacity may not spur growth in the short term. The findings have implications for policymakers seeking strategies to improve governance and accelerate development in Djibouti. Further research is needed to understand the unexpected institutional quality effects better

Financial Inclusion, Community Capacity Building and Pro-Wildlife Conservation Behavior around the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon

The study examines the contribution of financial inclusion and community capacity building on pro-wildlife conservation behavior among rural households at the Northern Periphery of Dja Biosphere Reserve, the east region of Cameroon. The data were elicited through the survey questionnaire administered on a sample of 279 households involved in the program of conservation in the areas. The study used a cluster sampling approach in grouping proximity villages into four zones and a purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the households. The objective was achieved empirically using three-stage maximum likelihood estimation techniques; factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The result shows that financial inclusion and community capacity building had a significant positive effect on pro-wildlife conservation behavior. The magnitude of the effect of financial inclusion on pro-wildlife conservation behavior was even larger than the magnitude of the effect of community capacity building. The findings suggest that financial inclusion and community capacity building had the tendency to reduce the decline in wildlife stocks as it promoted friendly behavior towards wildlife and its habitats. The study, therefore, recommends policies that support financial inclusion and community capacity building that are essential for sustainable conservation since it promotes pro-wildlife conservation behavior.JEL Classification: G20, O15, Q5

The Implications of Poverty on the Cameroon Economic Emergence Vision 2035

This paper examines the implications of poverty on the Cameroon economic emergence vision 2035. Both primary and secondary data were collected on selected indicators of economic emergence for the period 1990-2035 and analyzed with descriptive and inferential tools of data analysis. The results reveal that the performance of major socio-economic indicators of well-being is poor in Cameroon. In consonance with the situation, a global assessment of the economic performance of Cameroon shows little hope for the economic emergence of the country by the target date of 2035. In order for the goal of economic emergence of Cameroon to come true as planned, it is suggested that the problem of poverty should be solved first by appropriately targeting macro-economic variables through policies that focus on job creation, provision of basic needs and services of life to people

Petroleum Products Price Fluctuations and Economic Growth in Cameroon

Commodity exports have over the years been the main source of foreign exchange earnings to most developing countries. This is especially the case with crude oil producing countries such as Cameroon since the discovery of oil in the late 1970s. However, as evident in the economic crises era of the mid 1980s, this exposes the commodity dependent country to heavy external shocks such as price fluctuations which affect the level of growth of the country. It is in this light that this study was conducted to examine the effect of petroleum products (crude oil) price fluctuations on the economic growth of Cameroon. Secondary data from1980 to 2013 were used to estimate the coefficients of the ordinary least square technique used to analyse the dependency between the dependent and independent variables of the phenomenon. The results obtained reveal that petroleum product prices have a positive significant effect on the economic growth of Cameroon, while the volume of trade to GDP (openness) and real interest rate have a negative significant effect on the economic growth of the country. Human factors (demand and supply imbalances, and interest rates) and natural factors (geographical location and resource endowment) are the principal causes of variations in the prices of petroleum products among different regions. From these, it is suggested that for Cameroon to benefit from the global trade process by opening up to the rest of the world, the revenue generated from crude oil exploitation should be re-directed towards investment in both human and physical capital so as to enhance the productive capacity of the nation, especially in the manufacturing and transport sectors

URBANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN CAMEROON: AN AUTO-REGRESSIVE DISTRIBUTED LAG MODEL TECHNIQUE

The relationship between urbanisation and the environment has elevated much public attention recently. Therefore, this study examined the effect urbanisation has on environmental sustainability in Cameroon using time series data from 1991 to 2018. To establish this, the study adopted the STIRPAT framework, the Principal Components Analysis and Autoregressive Distributed Lag Technique for data analysis. The models were tested for stationarity by applying the Phillip-Peron test. Results indicated that urbanization and trade openness had positive and significant effects on environmental sustainability in the long-run but negative in the short-run, thus, supporting an inverted U-shaped EKC. The study therefore, recommended that Cameroon revisits its trade policies and urban planning strategies and implement policies that will discourage dirty technology and encourage technological innovations (green) so as to improve energy efficiency which will go a long way to improve environmental sustainability. JEL: R10; R51; Q01 Article visualizations

Building Social Capital in the Fishery Communities of the South-West Region of Cameroon: The Case of Limbe Municipality

Recently, the role played by social capital in stimulating the level of economic activities in a country is being increasingly recognized. Production has often employed land, labour, capital and technology as key the resource inputs, social capital being largely ignored. Social capital designates social relations/connectedness. The women fish processors of the Limbe fisheries communities have recognized that starting up fish trade does not necessarily require a huge bank loan but could depend on social relationships. This study therefore aims at assessing the role played by social capital on women‟s economic activities in the fisheries communities of Limbe. The purposive sampling technique was used to sample 350 women fish processors selected from among Cameroonians, Beninese, Nigerians and Ghanaians who are resident in the fisheries communities of Idenau, Batoke, Mabeta and Down Beach, Limbe. Multiple regression analysis was used in analysing the data. Results indicate that social networks are an inevitable factor that enhances the start and maintenance of their fish processing business. Recommendations are made to the Government authorities in the Limbe area to find out strategies on how to eradicate these ethnic differences

Building Social Capital in the Fishery Communities of the South-West Region of Cameroon: The Case of Limbe Municipality

Recently, the role played by social capital in stimulating the level of economic activities in a country is being increasingly recognized. Production has often employed land, labour, capital and technology as key the resource inputs, social capital being largely ignored. Social capital designates social relations/connectedness. The women fish processors of the Limbe fisheries communities have recognized that starting up fish trade does not necessarily require a huge bank loan but could depend on social relationships. This study therefore aims at assessing the role played by social capital on women‟s economic activities in the fisheries communities of Limbe. The purposive sampling technique was used to sample 350 women fish processors selected from among Cameroonians, Beninese, Nigerians and Ghanaians who are resident in the fisheries communities of Idenau, Batoke, Mabeta and Down Beach, Limbe. Multiple regression analysis was used in analysing the data. Results indicate that social networks are an inevitable factor that enhances the start and maintenance of their fish processing business. Recommendations are made to the Government authorities in the Limbe area to find out strategies on how to eradicate these ethnic differences