Remittances,financial development and economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries:evidence from a PMG-ARDL approach

The study investigated the relationship among remittances,financial development and economic growth in a panel of 20 sub-Saharan African countries over the period of 2000 and 2015.The study used both Pooled Mean Group and Mean Group/ARDL estimations with panel unit root and cointegration tests.After establishing cointegration,remittances and financial development were found to have positive effects on economic growth both in the short and the long run.The interactive term showed that financial development acted as a substitute in the remittances-growth relationship.Finally,unidirectional causal relationships were found to exist from GDP to remittances and from financial development to GDP.However,no causality existed between remittances and financial development in the SSA countries.

Challenges Affecting African Countries in the Fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Interventional Strategies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused many global challenges, especially in resource-constrained countries. Africa, a continent with a large number of low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), shares this burden disproportionately compared to developed countries. Here we review some of the major challenges African countries face in the fight against COVID-19 and propose some mitigation measures. Studies have reported low adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures in most African countries. Additionally, there has been a shortage of healthcare workers, inadequate surveillance and diagnostic tools, unavailability of drugs in healthcare facilities, increased wrong beliefs, myths, misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 and vaccinations, and an already existing burden of infectious and non-infectious diseases across the African continent. Despite being very challenging to implement across African countries, telehealth is a critical solution to offer healthcare services during disease outbreaks. Many African countries have faced challenges in the fight against COVID-19. The training of healthcare workers (HCWs) must be strengthened to help address the shortage. In addition, African countries should strive to invest in research and capacity-building to be self-reliant regarding diagnostic tests. Thus, there is an urgent need to address the challenges faced by African countries in this fight, which may even include increased collaborations with other countries.

Information Sources Consulted by Women in African Countries to Manage Menopausal Symptoms:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Despite an abundance of information regarding menopausal women in western society, African menopausal women have been overlooked in menopausal research, particularly, where they find information regarding menopause. Since inadequate health-related knowledge on menopause negatively affects the understanding of and coping with menopause and related symptoms, it is important to determine where women in Africa obtain their information about menopause. Aim: To conduct a systematic review to identify and analyse information sources consulted by menopausal women in the African region regarding the management of menopausal symptoms. Method: PubMed, Embase (OVID), Google Scholar, Medline (OVID), Medline in Process (OVID), Scopus, https://www.africabib.org/, African Index Medicus;http://indexmedicus.afro.who. int/,and African Journals Online (AJOL) were searched for publications from January 2000 to April 2017. Fourteen studies met the eligibility criteria. Twelve were quantitative while two were qualitative. Studies were independently appraised by two researchers using checklists from the Centre for Evidence-Based Management. Results: Meta-analysis explored the prevalence of different information sources reported with friends being the highest (44%, 95% CI: [0.35, 0.54]) followed by relatives (35%, 95% CI: [0.22, 0.50]) with medical providers being sources of information for only 30% of participants (95% CI: [0.15, 0.50]). Conclusion: Information regarding menopause among African women emanated primarily from friends and relatives, suggesting that women perceive menopause as a natural process whereby information is the best gleaned from informal sources. However, health care should aim to increase public awareness of menopause education and strengthen efforts to provide accurate, timely and helpful information for women and their friends and families.

China Offers Import Tax Exemption to Some African Countries

According to information from China's Ministry of Commerce, China will offer some import tax exemption from January 1st this year to 25 African countries for a total of 190 commodities in the Customs taxable list. These commodities include 14 items of metals commodities such as ferro-silicon, steel structures and fabricated steel products, screw nails and their accessories, blister copper, unwrought copper cathode, fabricated copper, copper scrap and other copper products, unwrought nickel alloys, unwrought aluminium, aluminium scrap, intermediate cobalt products and fabricated cobalt products. These African countries include Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia etc. More details on these will be provided by the Customs.

Issues in Financial Markets’Development in Sub-Saharan Africa:Lessons From Developed Economies

For some time now,development of financial markets in developing countries of the world has been saddled with a lot of controversies.Furthermore,observations from many studies showed contradictory views which have made debates on the subject matter inconclusive.In view of this,the general objective of this study is to examine financial and stock market developmental issues in developing African countries.It specifically intends to highlight strategies to strengthen financial and stock markets in African countries,among others.The study adopted table content analysis and descriptive statistics in its methodology.The study discovered that in spite of all the gains derivable from financial market development,the intensity of financial sector reforms implemented in some developing countries has not brought about a reasonable increase in the size and depth of their financial systems,among others.The implication of this is that capital market development in these developing countries would continue to suffer setbacks with their attendant consequences on economic growth.The study concluded that the presence of strong and virile financial and stock markets cannot be overlooked in any economy.It therefore recommended,amidst others,the promotion of institutional investors as well as development of appropriate business and investor friendly policies.