Sudan is among those developing countries characterized by high incidence of poverty in spite of its prodigious resource endowments. Sudan government has continued to introduce programmes aiming at alleviation of pove...Sudan is among those developing countries characterized by high incidence of poverty in spite of its prodigious resource endowments. Sudan government has continued to introduce programmes aiming at alleviation of poverty which were generally characterized by a lack of effectiveness. The traditional approach towards poverty reduction centered on national development programmes designed to enhance economic growth and improve standards of living. In addition, the Islamic institution of Zakat was utilized to help poor families start income-generating projects. However, recently, a more ambitious poverty-focused microcredit programme was laid forth. Thus, billions of dollars were earmarked for microcredit to help the poor obtain investible resources which can be directed towards starting income-generating projects. This paper argues that today, there is no shortage of funds earmarked for microfinance in Sudan. But the prevailing institutional inadequacies would not allow such substantial outlays to have much impact on poverty reduction. This paper reviews the history of microcredit and microfinance in the country, highlights the roles of different institutions in provision of microcredit, attempts to figure out its possible policy outputs, and finally makes some suggestions to overcome the evident shortcomings.展开更多
The financial crisis of 2008 left the U.S. economy in a state of severe recession, which is still being felt all over. This has also left the government in a frantic condition to rebuild the financial markets from the...The financial crisis of 2008 left the U.S. economy in a state of severe recession, which is still being felt all over. This has also left the government in a frantic condition to rebuild the financial markets from the bottom up. What started out with excessive bank lending on mortgages lead to the mortgage crisis and a ripple effect on the economy. The cancer has spread globally, affecting every major marketplace and all the major states in the U.S.. Our economy is still very fragile because of this crisis, but eventually we will recover in a few years time to achieve robust economic growth. Long standing cultural pressures in the United States maintained that home ownership was necessary to be a part of the American Dream, and this cultural stance was reinforced by Clinton in 1994, when he enacted a program to raise home ownership to more than two-thirds of all adults. With the tacit blessing of the Federal Government, many mortgage companies sprung up, that catered to those in lower income brackets, offering them the mortgages that many did not have the financial sophistication to understand and deliver. Coupled with the skyrocketing costs of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs, many homeowners found themselves unable to pay their mortgages. The whole industry tanked, causing displacement of people and increased unemployment. The lenders of these mortgages sold the notes to investment bankers, and they were sold as high-quality investment grade securities. The major rating agencies were complacent in this tactic, causing rapid default rates on these mortgages; many commercial and investment banks got caught in this crisis. The prices of homes continue to decline, and many homeowners find themselves under water on their mortgages. It was found that in 2010, the U.S. government was responsible for nine out of every ten mortgages issued, which caused further problems with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. The crisis is still continuing, with no end in sight. The analysis was based on the data analysis and readings from the journal, as well as various Wall Street commentaries.展开更多
文摘Sudan is among those developing countries characterized by high incidence of poverty in spite of its prodigious resource endowments. Sudan government has continued to introduce programmes aiming at alleviation of poverty which were generally characterized by a lack of effectiveness. The traditional approach towards poverty reduction centered on national development programmes designed to enhance economic growth and improve standards of living. In addition, the Islamic institution of Zakat was utilized to help poor families start income-generating projects. However, recently, a more ambitious poverty-focused microcredit programme was laid forth. Thus, billions of dollars were earmarked for microcredit to help the poor obtain investible resources which can be directed towards starting income-generating projects. This paper argues that today, there is no shortage of funds earmarked for microfinance in Sudan. But the prevailing institutional inadequacies would not allow such substantial outlays to have much impact on poverty reduction. This paper reviews the history of microcredit and microfinance in the country, highlights the roles of different institutions in provision of microcredit, attempts to figure out its possible policy outputs, and finally makes some suggestions to overcome the evident shortcomings.
文摘The financial crisis of 2008 left the U.S. economy in a state of severe recession, which is still being felt all over. This has also left the government in a frantic condition to rebuild the financial markets from the bottom up. What started out with excessive bank lending on mortgages lead to the mortgage crisis and a ripple effect on the economy. The cancer has spread globally, affecting every major marketplace and all the major states in the U.S.. Our economy is still very fragile because of this crisis, but eventually we will recover in a few years time to achieve robust economic growth. Long standing cultural pressures in the United States maintained that home ownership was necessary to be a part of the American Dream, and this cultural stance was reinforced by Clinton in 1994, when he enacted a program to raise home ownership to more than two-thirds of all adults. With the tacit blessing of the Federal Government, many mortgage companies sprung up, that catered to those in lower income brackets, offering them the mortgages that many did not have the financial sophistication to understand and deliver. Coupled with the skyrocketing costs of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs, many homeowners found themselves unable to pay their mortgages. The whole industry tanked, causing displacement of people and increased unemployment. The lenders of these mortgages sold the notes to investment bankers, and they were sold as high-quality investment grade securities. The major rating agencies were complacent in this tactic, causing rapid default rates on these mortgages; many commercial and investment banks got caught in this crisis. The prices of homes continue to decline, and many homeowners find themselves under water on their mortgages. It was found that in 2010, the U.S. government was responsible for nine out of every ten mortgages issued, which caused further problems with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac. The crisis is still continuing, with no end in sight. The analysis was based on the data analysis and readings from the journal, as well as various Wall Street commentaries.
