International Journal of African Development, Vol. 5, Issue 2
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
International Journal of African Development Volume 5 Issue 2 Spring 2019 Article 1 June 2019 International Journal of African Development, Vol. 5, Issue 2 Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ijad Part of the African Studies Commons, Growth and Development Commons, and the International Economics Commons Recommended Citation (2019) "International Journal of African Development, Vol. 5, Issue 2," International Journal of African Development: Vol. 5 : Iss. 2 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ijad/vol5/iss2/1 This Complete Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for African Development Policy Research at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of African Development by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact wmu- [email protected]. International Journal of African Development Volume 5, Issue 2, Spring 2019 IJAD International Journal of African Development Vol. 5 Issue 2, Spring 2019 Western Michigan University College of Arts & Sciences Department of Economics and Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR) Editorial Management Team 2019 Chief Editor, Sisay Asefa, PhD, Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for African Development Policy Research, Western Michigan University Managing Editor, Amos Aduroja, PhD, MPH, FASHA, Associate Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs, Western Michigan University Copy Editor, Gari Voss, Center for English Language and Culture for International Students, Haenicke Institute. Western Michigan University Associate Editors Soji Adelaja, PhD, John Hanna Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University Wei-Chiao Huang, PhD, Professor of Economics and Director of Timothy Light Chinese Studies Center, Haenicke Institute, Western Michigan University Menelik Geremew, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Business and Economics, Kalamazoo College Mariam Konate, PhD, Associate Professor, Gender and Women Studies, Western Michigan University Susan Pozo, Distinguished Professor of Economics and Director Global and International Studies Program, Western Michigan University Lisa Whittaker, MA, Associate Professor, Aviation, Western Michigan University Student Assistant Editors BezawitTeshomeAgiro, PhD Graduate Alumni in Applied Economics, WMU Nardos Moges Beyene, PhD Graduate Alumni in Applied Economics, WMU Daniel Abraham Mengistu, PhD Candidate in Applied Economics, WMU Meskerem Degefa Tolossa, Undergraduate Honors Student in Biomedical Sciences, WMU ScholarWorks Consultants Maira Bundza, M.L.S, University Libraries, Western Michigan University Anna Holowicki, Graduate Assistant, University Libraries, Western Michigan University International Journal of African Development Volume 5, Issue 2, Spring 2019 Contents Editorial Note 4 Sisay Asefa Understanding Remittances in Eritrea: An Exploratory Study 5 Fikrejesus Amahazion Nutriton and Trade Liberalization in Africa 24 Ismaelline Eba Nguema Listen to the Voices of Maasai Women in Kenya: Ensuring The Well-Being of their Families through Collective Actions 37 Taeko Takayanagi Opportunities and Challenges for Community Based Ecotourism Development: The Case of Alatish National Park; Northwest Ethiopia 53 Kassegn Berhanu Intergovernmental Authority on Development & East African Community: Viability of Merger 68 Andualem Zewdie Effect of Oil Price Shocks on Monetary Policy in Nigeria: A Vector Autoregressive Analysis 82 Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah Book Review of How Sub-Saharan Africa Can Achieve Food Security and Ascend Its Economy to the Initial Stages of Light Industrialization. 91 Firkejesus Amahazion Editorial Note This issue of IJAD features six papers and one book review for our African and global readers. The papers include various efforts that humans make to improve lives. The lingering theme often focuses on the ability of African countries to find ways to collaborate in ways that can improve life for all African people. There is an attempt to understand financial remittances in Eritrea, where people, especially the youth, leave their land in droves due to “push factors.” In the future, Ethiopia and Eritrea can benefit from regional economic integration that allows the free movement of people, goods and services to expand their markets and contribute to peaceful relations. In addition, researchers address the improvement of nutrition and food security by liberalizing regional trade across Africa. The goal should be to redistribute economic growth so people have access to good health and a nutritious diet. There is also the ethnographic study into women leaders who should be valued and supported because the empowerment of marginalized women can raise self-confidence and pride that can contribute to harmonious, peaceful and vibrant communities. By examining the opportunities and challenges regarding key historical and cultural attractions to create employment in local communities, the author addresses the responsibility of local and regional governments to provide infrastructure such as roads, electricity, housing including hotels, and education that make these areas attractive to tourists. The role of regional collaboration between East African countries through regional organization, which would create Pan African integrated communities, leads to suggestions for combining the regional organizations of the IGAD and EAC by merging them into Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in eastern African and the Horn of African. But, integration requires strong political will and good governance to reduce regional conflict and move toward sustainable progress of all people in the region. The improvement of governance and leadership is important in reducing oil price shocks due to several global factors and internal mismanagement of oil revenues. The book review of How Sub-Saharan Africa Can Achieve Food Security and Ascend Its Economy to the Initial Stages of Light Industrialization by Woldezion Mesghinna investigates how Sub-Saharan Africa can achieve food security, and believes this transformation can only be done with good governance and leadership that minimize corruption, conflict and repression in every state. Strengthening a diversified economy and enhancing human capital could move the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa toward regional collaboration as well as economic unity. We hope these articles lead to discussion, reflection and positive action that can benefit the people of Africa. Sisay Asefa, Chief Editor 4 https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ijad Understanding Remittances in Eritrea: An Exploratory Study Fikrejesus Amahazion, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Adi Keih, Eritrea Abstract Migration has been characterized as a fundamental component of the human experience, and today there are several hundred million international migrants around the world. Although migrants leave their home country, they maintain links, particularly through remittances. Economic remittances supplement the domestic incomes of millions of poor families and are vital for many developing countries. This paper explores economic remittances into Eritrea, examining the particular trends, amounts received, and how remittances are generally consumed. Additionally, the paper explores general perceptions about remittances and their impact upon society in Eritrea. Based on interviews and focus group discussions with individuals and households across Eritrea, as well as discussions with government sources, this paper presents important findings that help to clarify understandings of remittances in Eritrea. For Eritrea, a low-income, developing country, remittances constitute an important part of the economy and source of foreign exchange. Furthermore, they are a key source of income for many individuals and households. Remittances to Eritrea are mainly sent to family and relatives, and although they may be transferred via several different mechanisms, informal channels are predominantly used. Results also suggest that recipients do not tend to utilize remittances for productive investment expenditures. Generally, perceptions and views toward remittances are mixed, with both positive and negative perceptions being held and expressed. Keywords: remittances, migration, development, finance, poverty, Eritrea, Africa, Diaspora Introduction Migration has long been characterized as a fundamental component of the human experience and today there are several hundred million international migrants around the world (King, 2012; McNeill & Adams, 1978). Although migration is often solely seen as a process that uproots persons from their home country and reintegrates them into a new society and culture, many migrants develop and maintain links with their country of origin and communities, particularly through remittances (Markley, 2011; Portes, 1999, 2010). Economic remittances supplement the domestic incomes of millions of poor families and are vital for many developing countries (Mohamoud & Fréchaut, 2006; Omer & El Koury, 2005). They represent the second largest source of external finance and constitute a significant percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for many countries. In 2015, global economic remittances to developing countries reached approximately 432 billion US dollars (Lubambu, 2014; Ratha, 2005; World Bank, 2016), but exact figures on remittances are difficult to ascertain since many transfers take place through unofficial, unrecorded informal