Since the 1960s, Sub Sahara African (SSA) countries have been the largest net recipients of aid relative to other aid recipient countries partly for promoting growth. In spite of this, SSA countries continue to underperform in terms of economic growth relative to other aid-recipient regions. While research on the impact of foreign aid on economic growth of SSA countries is abound, it is characterized by mixed results. This may be attributed to use of aggregate forms of aid in estimation models, which do not specify which form of aid impacts economic growth of recipient countries. In addition, while development theory presupposes that institutional quality determines aid effectiveness, research on whether the effectiveness of disaggregated aid depends on institutional quality remains limited in SSA countries. Thus, this study seeks to examine the impact of bilateral and multilateral aid on economic growth of Sub Sahara African countries, and determines whether the impact depends on institutional quality. The study uses a balanced panel data set of 28 SSA countries from 1996 – 2015, and a dynamic model is specified and estimated using the technique of system GMM. The findings indicate that only bilateral aid has a significant impact of economic growth of SSA countries generally. However, after interacting the disaggregated aid components with institutional quality, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in these countries. The results further show that the impact of multilateral aid on economic growth in SSA countries depends on the quality of institutions existing in those countries. Even after accounting for differences in levels of economic development, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in both low and middle-income countries, and the impact in both categories of countries depends on the existence of good quality institutions. The study concludes that multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on the economic growth of SSA countries, and the impact depends on existence of good quality institutions in those countries. In order to enhance economic growth, the study recommends increasing foreign aid inflows particularly from multilateral sources, and in order to enhance effectiveness of multilateral aid, the study recommends that SSA should strengthen existing institutions through ensuring proper control of corruption, rule of law, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, political stability, and voice and accountability.
Published in | Journal of Business and Economic Development (Volume 7, Issue 2) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13 |
Page(s) | 54-62 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Bilateral Aid, Multilateral Aid, Economic Growth, Sub-Saharan Africa
[1] | Tarp, F. & Hjertholm, P., (2000). Foreign aid and development. London and New York. |
[2] | Thorbecke, E., (2000). The evolution of the development doctrine and the role of foreign aid, 1950-2000. Foreign aid and development: Lessons learnt and directions for the future: p. 17-47. |
[3] | Dash, A. K., (2021). Does foreign aid influence economic growth? Evidence from South Asian countries. Transnational Corporations Review: p. 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19186444.2021.1974257. |
[4] | Galiani, S., et al., (2017). The effect of aid on growth: Evidence from a quasi-experiment. Journal of Economic Growth. 22 (1): p. 1-33. |
[5] | Gitaru, K., (2015). Impact of foreign aid on economic growth. |
[6] | Nowak, W., (2015). The macroeconomic impact of foreign assistance. 2015. |
[7] | Albiman, M., (2016). What are the impact of foreign aid to the economic growth? Time series analysis with new evidence from Tanzania. Business and Economics Journal. 7 (3): p. 1-7. |
[8] | Chirwa, T. G. & Odhiambo, N. M., (2016). Macroeconomic determinants of economic growth: A review of international literature. The South East European Journal of Economics and Business. 11 (2). |
[9] | Tang, K.-B. &Bundhoo, D., (2017). Foreign aid and economic growth in developing countries: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. Theoretical Economics Letters. 7 (05): p. 1473. |
[10] | Dietrich, S., (2016). Donor political economies and the pursuit of aid effectiveness. International Organization. 70 (1): p. 65-102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818315000302. |
[11] | Kabir, M. A., (2020). Foreign aid effectiveness: evidence from panel data analysis. Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies. 12 (3): p. 283-302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0974910120961570. |
[12] | McLeod, R. H., (2019). Book Review: Assessing aid: what works, what doesn't, and why. |
[13] | Biscaye, P. E., Reynolds, T. W. & Anderson, C. L., (2017). Relative effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral aid on development outcomes. Review of Development Economics. 21 (4): p. 1425-1447. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12303. |
[14] | Findley, M. G., Milner, H. V. & Nielson, D. L., (2017). The choice among aid donors: The effects of multilateral vs. bilateral aid on recipient behavioral support. The Review of International Organizations. 12 (2): p. 307-334. |
[15] | Rommel, T. &Schaudt, P., (2020). First impressions: How leader changes affect bilateral aid. Journal of Public Economics. 185: p. 104107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2019.104107. |
[16] | Findley, M. G., et al., (2017). Who controls foreign aid? Elite versus public perceptions of donor influence in aid-dependent Uganda. International Organization. 71 (4): p. 633 - 663. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818317000273. |
[17] | Gulrajani, N., (2016). Bilateral versus multilateral aid channels. Strategic choices for donors. London: Overseas Development Institute. |
[18] | Solow, R. M., (1957). Technical change and the aggregate production function. The review of Economics and Statistics: p. 312-320. |
[19] | Nushiwat, M., (2007). Foreign aid to developing countries: Does it crowd-out the recipient countries’ domestic savings. International Research Journal of Finance and Economics. 11 (11): p. 94-102. |
[20] | Hansen, H. & Tarp, F., (2000). Aid effectiveness disputed. Journal of International development. 12 (3): p. 375-398. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1328(200004)12:3<375::AID-JID657>3.0.CO;2-M. |
[21] | Snowdon, B., (2009). The Solow model, poverty traps, and the foreign aid debate. History of Political Economy. 41 (Suppl_1): p. 241-262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-2009-026. |
[22] | Inada, K.-I., (1963). On a two-sector model of economic growth: Comments and a generalization. The Review of Economic Studies. 30 (2): p. 119-127. |
[23] | Djankov, S., Montalvo, J. G. & Reynal-Querol, M., (2006). Does foreign aid help. Cato J. 26: p. 1. |
[24] | Mallik, G., (2008). Foreign Aid and Economic Growth: A Cointegration Analysis of the Six Poorest African Countries. Economic Analysis & Policy. 38 (2). |
[25] | Fasanya, I. O. &Onakoya, A. B., (2012). Does foreign aid accelerate economic growth? An empirical analysis for Nigeria. International journal of economics and financial issues. 2 (4): p. 423-431. |
[26] | Shuaib, I. &Ndidi, D. E., (2015). Capital formation: impact on the economic development of Nigeria 1960-2013. European Journal of Business, Economics and Accountancy. 3 (3): p. 23-40. |
[27] | Nweke, G. O., Odo, S. I. & Anoke, C. I., (2017). Effect of capital formation on economic growth in Nigeria. Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting. 5 (1): p. 1-16. |
[28] | Herd, R., (2020). Estimating Capital Formation and Capital Stock by Economic Sector in China. |
[29] | Durand, J. D., (2015). The labor force in economic development. Princeton University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400868148. |
[30] | Ekanayake, E. &Chatrna, D., (2010). The effect of foreign aid on economic growth in developing countries. Journal of International Business and cultural studies. 3: p. 1. |
[31] | Carkovic, M. &Levine, R., (2005). Does foreign direct investment accelerate economic growth. Does foreign direct investment promote development. 195: p. 220. |
[32] | Bond, E. W., Jones, R. W. & Wang, P., (2005). Economic takeoffs in a dynamic process of globalization. Review of International Economics. 13 (1): p. 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9396.2005.00489.x. |
[33] | Mallick, L. &Behera, S. R., (2020). Does trade openness affect economic growth in India? Evidence from threshold cointegration with asymmetric adjustment. Cogent Economics & Finance. 8 (1): p. 1782659. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2020.1782659. |
[34] | Barbier, E. B. & Burgess, J. C., (2021). Institutional Quality, Governance and Progress towards the SDGs. Sustainability. 13 (21): p. 11798. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111798. |
[35] | Butkiewicz, J. L. & Yanikkaya, H., (2006). Institutional quality and economic growth: Maintenance of the rule of law or democratic institutions, or both? Economic Modelling. 23 (4): p. 648-661. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2006.03.004. |
[36] | Damodar N, G., (2004). Basic econometrics. 2004, The Mc-Graw Hill. |
[37] | Appiah-Konadu, P., et al., (2016). The effect of foreign aid on economic growth in Ghana. African Journal of Economic Review. 4 (2): p. 248-261. |
[38] | Alemu, A. M. & Lee, J.-S., (2015). Foreign aid on economic growth in Africa: a comparison of low and middle-income countries. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences. 18 (4): p. 449-462. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2222-3436/2015/V18N4A1 |
APA Style
Kosea Wambaka, John Mutenyo. (2022). Impact of Bilateral and Multilateral Aid on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediating Role of Institutional Quality. Journal of Business and Economic Development, 7(2), 54-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13
ACS Style
Kosea Wambaka; John Mutenyo. Impact of Bilateral and Multilateral Aid on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediating Role of Institutional Quality. J. Bus. Econ. Dev. 2022, 7(2), 54-62. doi: 10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13
@article{10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13, author = {Kosea Wambaka and John Mutenyo}, title = {Impact of Bilateral and Multilateral Aid on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediating Role of Institutional Quality}, journal = {Journal of Business and Economic Development}, volume = {7}, number = {2}, pages = {54-62}, doi = {10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jbed.20220702.13}, abstract = {Since the 1960s, Sub Sahara African (SSA) countries have been the largest net recipients of aid relative to other aid recipient countries partly for promoting growth. In spite of this, SSA countries continue to underperform in terms of economic growth relative to other aid-recipient regions. While research on the impact of foreign aid on economic growth of SSA countries is abound, it is characterized by mixed results. This may be attributed to use of aggregate forms of aid in estimation models, which do not specify which form of aid impacts economic growth of recipient countries. In addition, while development theory presupposes that institutional quality determines aid effectiveness, research on whether the effectiveness of disaggregated aid depends on institutional quality remains limited in SSA countries. Thus, this study seeks to examine the impact of bilateral and multilateral aid on economic growth of Sub Sahara African countries, and determines whether the impact depends on institutional quality. The study uses a balanced panel data set of 28 SSA countries from 1996 – 2015, and a dynamic model is specified and estimated using the technique of system GMM. The findings indicate that only bilateral aid has a significant impact of economic growth of SSA countries generally. However, after interacting the disaggregated aid components with institutional quality, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in these countries. The results further show that the impact of multilateral aid on economic growth in SSA countries depends on the quality of institutions existing in those countries. Even after accounting for differences in levels of economic development, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in both low and middle-income countries, and the impact in both categories of countries depends on the existence of good quality institutions. The study concludes that multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on the economic growth of SSA countries, and the impact depends on existence of good quality institutions in those countries. In order to enhance economic growth, the study recommends increasing foreign aid inflows particularly from multilateral sources, and in order to enhance effectiveness of multilateral aid, the study recommends that SSA should strengthen existing institutions through ensuring proper control of corruption, rule of law, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, political stability, and voice and accountability.}, year = {2022} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Impact of Bilateral and Multilateral Aid on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediating Role of Institutional Quality AU - Kosea Wambaka AU - John Mutenyo Y1 - 2022/04/26 PY - 2022 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13 DO - 10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13 T2 - Journal of Business and Economic Development JF - Journal of Business and Economic Development JO - Journal of Business and Economic Development SP - 54 EP - 62 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2637-3874 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20220702.13 AB - Since the 1960s, Sub Sahara African (SSA) countries have been the largest net recipients of aid relative to other aid recipient countries partly for promoting growth. In spite of this, SSA countries continue to underperform in terms of economic growth relative to other aid-recipient regions. While research on the impact of foreign aid on economic growth of SSA countries is abound, it is characterized by mixed results. This may be attributed to use of aggregate forms of aid in estimation models, which do not specify which form of aid impacts economic growth of recipient countries. In addition, while development theory presupposes that institutional quality determines aid effectiveness, research on whether the effectiveness of disaggregated aid depends on institutional quality remains limited in SSA countries. Thus, this study seeks to examine the impact of bilateral and multilateral aid on economic growth of Sub Sahara African countries, and determines whether the impact depends on institutional quality. The study uses a balanced panel data set of 28 SSA countries from 1996 – 2015, and a dynamic model is specified and estimated using the technique of system GMM. The findings indicate that only bilateral aid has a significant impact of economic growth of SSA countries generally. However, after interacting the disaggregated aid components with institutional quality, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in these countries. The results further show that the impact of multilateral aid on economic growth in SSA countries depends on the quality of institutions existing in those countries. Even after accounting for differences in levels of economic development, only multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on economic growth in both low and middle-income countries, and the impact in both categories of countries depends on the existence of good quality institutions. The study concludes that multilateral aid has a positive and significant impact on the economic growth of SSA countries, and the impact depends on existence of good quality institutions in those countries. In order to enhance economic growth, the study recommends increasing foreign aid inflows particularly from multilateral sources, and in order to enhance effectiveness of multilateral aid, the study recommends that SSA should strengthen existing institutions through ensuring proper control of corruption, rule of law, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, political stability, and voice and accountability. VL - 7 IS - 2 ER -