The HIPC Debt Relief Initiative: Uganda's Experience

debt relief, debt sustainability, net present value (NPV) of debt, non-OECD creditors, debt ratios, PAPSCA, PEAP, PRSP, PAF

Macroeconomic Convergence in the East African Community: A Multivariate Cointegration Analysis of the Exchange Rates

The EAC member countries have to-date implemented various reforms with the aim of achieving macroeconomic convergence before the on-coming EAST African Monetary Union, however, the extent of convergence to-date is an empirical question that is yet to be answered.  Various researchers have used the Johansen approach to investigate cointegration but have not catered for the gradual changes that occur during the adjustment period.  This study revisited the definition of convergence based on Johansen cointegration approaches to include zero mean, conditional deterministic, stochastic, conditional and unconditional stochastic convergence; and unlike other studies, applied a rolling multivariate cointegration/convergence approach to investigate the extent to which exchange rates in the East African Community (EAC) have converged following macroeconomic reforms.   Rolling Johansen, rolling multivariate Engle and Granger, impulse response and Granger-causality approaches were applied.  The results revealed that existence of cointegration does not necessarily mean complete convergence. Although the exchange rates in the EAC were cointegrated, there was limited convergence and uni-directional causality in most cases.  The shocks arising from Kenya had major effects on the exchange rates for other countries in the region; those from Rwanda affected that for Burundi while shocks arising elsewhere had minimal effects.  To ensure smooth transitions in the monetary union, reforms that can ensure convergence thus stable exchange rates are required. Keywords: Macro-economic convergence, Multivariate rolling cointegration tests, Exchange rates, Granger-causality,   East African Community integration JEL Nos. C32, E52, E61, E63, F1

Exchange Rate Convergence in the East African Monetary Union: An Econometric Investigation

The paper initially revisits the definition of convergence in bivariate sense to cater for gradual changes which occur from one point to another and distinguishes between the different levels of convergence including zero mean, conditional deterministic, stochastic, conditional and unconditional stochastic convergence, and re-categories the conditional stochastic convergence and conditional deterministic as being either static or dynamic depending on whether the constant in the convergence equation increases, remains constant or decreases as the convergence progresses, with dynamic convergence occurring when the constant decreases overtime.  This is an expansion of the approach of previous  studies that mainly focused on  three general types of convergence of stochastic, deterministic and zero mean convergence, described by Halket (2005), mainly based on the entire sample being investigated without capturing the gradual changes that occur from one period to another using a rolling approach. This approach captureS the dynamic nature of the stochastic changes which occur before, during, and after the convergence is attained.  After revisiting the above, the study investigated the extent of convergence of the exchange rates for the East African Community using the rolling bivariate cointegration approach, accounting for structural breaks using the Sup LM test.  The motivation was that the EAC member countries for several years have been implementing reforms aimed at attaining macroeconomic convergence as a measure to ensure a successful Monetary Union. Whether it has been attained is an empirical question.  The results revealed limited convergence of the exchange rates, which has serious negative implications for the success of the EA Monetary Union.   This calls for review of the current monetary policies, and macroeconomic policies in general. Keywords: Convergence, Rolling Bivariate Cointegration, Structural Break LM Test,  Exchange Rates,   EAC- Integration JEL Nos. F15, E152, C12, C13, C3

Recent glacial recession in the Rwenzori Mountains of East Africa due to rising air temperature

Based on field surveys and analyses of optical spaceborne images (LandSat5, LandSat7), we report recent decline in the areal extent of glaciers in the Rwenzori Mountains of East Africa from 2.01 +/- 0.56 km(2) in 1987 to 0.96 +/- 0.34 km(2) in 2003. The spatially uniform loss of glacial cover at lower elevations together with meteorological trends derived from both station and reanalysis data, indicate that increased air temperature is the main driver. Clear trends toward increased air temperatures over the last four decades of similar to 0.5 degrees C per decade exist without significant changes in annual precipitation. Extrapolation of trends in glacial recession since 1906 suggests that glaciers in the Rwenzori Mountains will disappear within the next two decades

Wetland change detection and inundation north of lake George, western Uganda using landsat data

A remote sensing approach has been adopted to detect seasonal change and inundation in the wetlands north of Lake George, western Uganda that is being impacted by anthropogenic factors. Five Landsat (TM and ETM+) satellite imagery of August 1987, January 1995, September 1999, March 2001 and December 2001 were used. During change detection in the wetland region, three broad classes (water bodies, exposed areas and vegetated zones) were generated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) using the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and unsupervised classification supported with ground data. Inundation mapping was carried out using density slicing on image sets with similar precipitation inputs. Change detection shows a slight decrease in vegetated and exposed wetlands areas from August 1987 through March 2001. Inundation mapping presents an increase in waterlogged expanses from January 1995 to December 2001. There is a likelihood of present anthropogenic factors playing a significant role in denuding the wetland land cover. A similar remote sensing approach could be used for monitoring temporal and spatial aspects of other wetlands in the region.Keywords: Wetland, Change detection, Inundation, Lake George, Remote Sensin

Biotechnology in Organic Agriculture in Africa: Myth or Oversight?

Biotechnology refers to scientific methods and practices that are based on biological systems or components. Its applications vary from simple system to amino acids (i.e. DNA and RNA) based applications and are relevant to many stages of commodity value chains. Whereas the simple applications are well understood, contemporary advancements into these applications have gone to deeper levels of innovation, dealing with cells, chromosomes, nucleotides and genes. Since these determine the cellular functions that influence behaviour and inheritance, any biotechnological method applied at this level is very sensitive, because it might result into undesirable alterations in the traits and behaviour of organisms. Notwithstanding its likely contributions, therefore, this level of innovation raises scepticism against biotechnology among the organic agriculture community in Africa. Thus, this paper examines the applicability of these innovations in the development of organic agriculture on the continent. Key words: Attitude; Indigenous Knowledge; Technology Adoption; Genetic

Narrating Diaspora. The African Diaspora as a Counter-Narrative

This paper’s central goal is to examine the role that narratives, collective or other-wise, play in the construction of diaspora as an epistemic formation. In particular, we are interested in exploring the interplay between dominant narratives on diaspora and competing counter-narratives of diaspora. In order to do this, we resort to the concept of “imagined communities” by Benedict Anderson, arguing that the sense of a communion among members of communities is buttressed in collective narratives based on shared knowledge, values, norms, and culture. Furthermore, the paper draws on a typology developed by Carolin Gebauer and Roy Sommer which differentiates between narratives on and stories of migration. Adopting this distinction, we argue that narratives on diaspora provide a primarily etic (i.e., outsider) perspective on diasporic formations, as they emphasize group cohesion and a sense of shared group consciousness that unites members of diasporic communities. Such narratives are often found in academic scholarship and in public discourses about diaspora. By contrast, narratives of diaspora refer to discourses that provide an emic (i.e., insider) perspective, acknowledging the diversity and historicity of diasporic formations and their roles as epistemic communities. This emic perspective foregrounds historical ‘moments’ that have led to the development of the African diaspora in Germany, which articulates counter-narratives to various discourses, especially anti-Black racism

Geochemistry of the Potassic Basalts from the Bufumbira Volcanic Field in Southwestern Uganda

Bufumbira volcanic field is the southernmost of the four Ugandan small Pleistocene to Recent volcanic fields within the western branch of the East African rift system. The rocks consist of silica undersaturated and vesicular basalts with numerous primary structures. The rocks consist of basanites, leucitites, olivine basalts, trachytes, tephrites, trachyandesites and andesites. The basalts are picritic in the northern part of the field where they are dominated by olivine and are clinopyroxene rich in the southern part of the field. Leucite and plagioclase are common in the groundmass in varying proportions by volume for the entire field. Type 1 dunite and wehrlite upper mantle xenoliths characterize the northern part of the field whereas type II clinopyroxenite xenoliths are common in the southern part of the field. The various basalts are low in SiO2 wt %, Al2O3 wt % and Na2O wt % but high in MgO wt %, TiO2 wt %, CaO wt %, K2O wt % with K2O/Na2O = 1.08 to 2.07. These are potassic belonging to the kamafugite series. Plots discriminate two geochemical trends corresponding to the picritic and clinopyroxene rich basalts. The diagram of Na2O + K2O wt. % against SiO2 wt. % enables various rocks to plot in the designated fields for the different alkaline basalts. The field is enriched in trace, light rare earth (LREE) and high field trace elements (HFSE) where La/Yb = 31 – 55. The petrographic and geochemical studies elucidate enrichment of the upper mantle by both mineralogical (modal) and cryptic (geochemical) metasomatism.Keywords: Basalts, Enrichment, Mantle, Metasomatism, PotassicTanz. J. Sci. Vol 36 201

Land degradation as an issue in Agro-ecosystems: A review of underlying causes

Land degradation is a big issue in agro ecosystems in developing, transition economy and developed countries. This problem affects negatively agriculture productivity and production in rural areas of all countries where most people depend on the agriculture activities to survive and satisfy their needs. Therefore it impacts food security, poverty, livelihood and wellbeing of rural populations. Factors such as poverty, population growth or pressure, climate change, human activities (intensification of agriculture, industrialization and urbanization), poor awareness and lack of institutions and poor governance (poor policies and management) are causing and increasing land degradation and its negatives consequences on agro ecosystems functions and services. Some of these causes are also initiated and increased by land degradation (vicious circle). This emphasis the needs to identifying and understand the real causes of land degradation and explain how some are interlinked to the latter in order to develop better and proper solutions to eradicate or mitigate the its unwanted effects