Shanta Devarajan, the World Bank’s chief economist for Africa, will launch a blog, AfricaCan.org, which will serve as an online forum for sharing ideas on Africa’s development.
The objective of AfricaCan is to promote conversation and analysis on issues of sustainable growth in order to determine what is or is not working on the continent.
The blog will include guest commentary from Devarajan’s colleagues at the World Bank and will feature posts in English and French.
“There is no shortage of economics blogs out there, but this is one of the very few you will have to turn to if you are interested in a serious debate on African development,” said Dani Rodrik, a professor of international political economy at Harvard University, in a statement.
Rodrik’s own popular blog features “unconventional thoughts on economic development and globalization,” according to the statement.
Devarajan has invited comments from students, academics, fellow economists and bloggers, members of government and civil society, and anyone interested in ending poverty in Africa.
“AfricaCan is a place for all those who care about Africa’s economic development to gather and comment,” Devarajan said.
“The debate on Africa’s economic growth and poverty reduction should not just be held in boardrooms and parliament halls but in classrooms, tea shops and village meetings, where the people who are most affected can contribute,” Devarajan added.
Devarajan is building on the success of a similar blog he launched in South Asia, where he worked with the World Bank until becoming chief economist for Africa in January. His End Poverty blog was aimed at creating conversation on improving economic conditions in South Asia within one generation.
“The End Poverty in South Asia blog was a great success for the region,” said Praful Patel, former World Bank vice president for South Asia. “It drew together many voices on South Asia’s development, voices not just of assent but of discord and debate. It livened up the discussion and drew a whole new audience for the Bank.”
By Edris Kisambira, IDG News Service
