Africa: Striking the Right Balance Between Sustainable Development and Sustainable Debt

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Over the past two decades, sub-Saharan Africa has made considerable economic progress: extreme poverty levels have declined by one third; life expectancy has increased by a fifth; and real per capita income has grown by about 50 percent on average. Yet, sub-Saharan Africa is still only half-way to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

To achieve these goals, sub-Saharan Africa will need financing. One of the ways to access financing is through borrowing. It makes sense for governments to incur debt if done wisely. If debt is used to finance projects that boost productivity and living standards, such as investing in roads, schools, and hospitals--and if governments can recoup enough of the benefits of these investments to repay the incurred debt--then borrowing is worthwhile.

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