Ethiopia: Rapid Economic Growth but Poor Access to Basic Services

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 4 May 2017 a policy brief titled "Key to the Horn: Ethiopia's Growth to 2030" by authors from ISS and the Frederick S. Pardee Center at the University of Denver.

The study notes that few African countries have developed as rapidly as Ethiopia over the past 25 years and that economic growth has also been paired with a sizeable expansion of service delivery. Nonetheless, Ethiopians continue to suffer from some of the lowest levels of access to basic services of any country in Africa.

Norway Concerned about Lack of Progress in Somalia

South Africa's Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 17 April 2014 a commentary titled "Somalia: Why Orthodox Aid Policy Must Give Way to Battlefield Reality" by Peter Fabricius, foreign editor of South Africa's Independent Newspapers.  The commentary draws on remarks by Norway's special envoy to Somalia, Jens Mjaugedal, who expressed deep concern about the inability of the Somali government to deliver services to the Somali people.

You can also hear Mjaugedal in a seven minute podcast prepared by ISS. 

Somali President Speaks in Washington

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud addressed a full house at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington on 20 September 2013. His wide ranging remarks and responses to questions covered more than an hour. Click here to see the video cast of his presentation, or it is embedded below.

South Sudan Public Opinion Poll

The International Republican Institute (IRI) conducted a public opinion poll in all 10 states of South Sudan from 24 April to 22 May 2013.  IRI interviewed 2,533 persons 18 and older on a wide variety of questions.  Some of the results were surprising. 

Government Service Delivery in South Sudan

The Juba-based Sudd Institute, an independent research organization, published on 16 November 2012 a policy study of service delivery in South Sudan for the years 2006-2011. The author is Augustino Ting Mayai, director of research at the Sudd Institute.

The study appraises institutional data, including the government's approved budget, educational enrollments, health conditions and mortality rates in order to map how social accountability and service delivery relate to policy decisions in South Sudan. The analysis demonstrates how a less informed policy atmosphere may lead to profound social injustice in the population.

Click here to read the study.