Week 3 – Botswana case studyEconomic and Development Problems in Africa

For next week’s assignment

“Botswana: A Diamond in the Rough” – HBS Case Study• 650 words • Due Tuesday 21 Feb 8-9AM lecture• Arial, 11 font, 1.5 line spacing• Answer the following three questions:1. Is Botswana a success? (provide reasons why and why not)2. What do you believe were the 3 main factors that made

Botswana successful?3. Do you think Botswana’s success is replicable elsewhere in

Africa? Why? Why not?

Case Study

Skills to learn

• Read for information – not all information is of equal value. Hence highlighting/underlining and labelling your document.

• Public speaking and being able to talk on demand.

• Extract information from data.

• Playing devil’s advocate – learning happens at the extremes not in the middle of the road. Don’t be afraid to take a position.

Botswana context

• Land locked country• Drought prone• Desert• “Bad neighbourhood”• Initially: little in terms of infrastructure

and human capital • Minimal British interference in

protectorate • Resource abundant • Diamonds

Resource curse

• Angola – Congo – Nigeria – Saudi Arabia – Venezuela...

• Economy, exports, public finances extremely dependent on one good

• Decreases incentives to invest and to manage resources prudently

• Dutch disease – forex, exchange rates and manufacturing

• Patrimony – cf for later sessions!!

Why did Botswana succeed were others have failed?

Discussion• Is Botswana a success story?

Yes1. Amazing growth, averaging 10% per year over

four decades (Exhibit 4)

2. Fastest growing country in last 35 years

3. Other poor countries in region did not manage to grow (Exhibit 10)

4. Good fiscal/macro management of resources

5. Diamond returns invested in infrastructure, education and health

6. Democracy, free and fair elections

7. No civil war

8. Best social indicators among African neighbors

9. Ranked 24/101 countries on transparency International’s Corruption Index (Exhibit 11)

No1. Started from a low base – fast growth inevitable

(Exhibit 2)

2. Growth fueled only by diamonds – in 2000 diamond’s contributed 30% of the nation’s GDP, 70-80% of its exports and 50% of government revenues (Exhibit 3)

3. High unemployment – almost 15% according to some sources

4. 35.8% adult HIV/AIDS infection – The World Bank further estimates that in the next 10 years AIDS would reduce 20% off the government budget and bring about a 13% reduction in income of the poorest households

5. Lack of skilled labor

Discussion

• What were the local institutions in Botswana?A – Tribal institution set up to discuss issues of public

interest. It helped administrate the law and allocate assets.

– Need for accountability and consensus – Transparency and voice (parallels with democracy)

Discussion

• Why were local institutions allowed to flourish?A- One of the main reasons why Botswana’s local

institutions were allowed to flourish was that the British colonial powers had no interest in this ‘colonial backwater’...why?

– 1966: Botswana gains independence » “Botswana is a poor country not only in terms of per capita

income but also in terms of natural resources”– 1968: Copper/nickel/diamonds discovered

» “Botswana is a poor country but it possesses sufficient natural resources to permit, with outside assistance, rapid development”

Discussion• What accounts for this performance?

Institutions1. Kgotla: Tradition of prudence and consensus;

Democracy

2. Respect for the rule of law: Constitition: protect property rights

3. Market oriented – Investor friendly environment

4. Good bureacracy

Policies1. No nationalizations

2. Partnership with De Beers – • De Beers Maximize profits• Government invest in infrastrcutre,

health and education3. Fiscal deficits frowned upon: prudent

macroeconomic management.

4. Exchange rate management – keep competititve ER despite surpluses and growing diamond revenue

Is it easier to grow if you start with nothing or if you are resource abundant? (Ex 9+10)

Is Botswana’s success replicable?

• Are institutions and policies transplantable?– Washington Consensus?

• Stabilize• Liberalize• Privatize

– Which institutions are/aren’t transplantable?

• Does one need a De Beers to make a Botswana success story? Are they always around?

Challenges and solutions

Problem1. Diversify

2. Grow

3. Unemployment

4. AIDS

Solution

Attract FDI

More government?

IssuesWill FDI come? (Exhibit 12)Will they stay?Will FDI hire unskilled labor?Will it help jumpstart domestic

activity?

Resources?

Resources? Change culture?

Is Botswana’s continued success dependent on De Beers and the continuation of the diamond cartel?

Conclusion

• Importance of institutions and policies (+ leaders!)

• Most African countries are well endowed with natural resources but are unable to convert this into sustained growth.

• Mutually beneficial partnerships (De Beers)

• Why did these particular institutions develop in Botswana and not elsewhere?

- 5% of FINAL mark (group-work mark)- 20 minutes

Things to discussi. Brief history/backgroundii. Political environmentiii. Economyiv. Social + cultural contextv. 3 main problems (+Solutions?)

Countries1. Botswana (Week 3)2. Kenya (Week 4)3. DRC (Week 6)4. Sudan (N+S) (Week 7)5. Ivory Coast (Week 8)6. Ghana (Week 10)7. Zambia (Week 11)

Marking criteria: Presentation (20%), Content (50%), Interesting (30%)

14

5%

Group presentations