What are the strengths and shortcomings of contemporary approaches to

development? Can single solutions aimed at tackling a problem such as

increasing gross domestic product (GDP) growth, be sufficient to ensure
long-term socio-economic progress?
I believe that despite significant improvements, only little attention is paid
to the vital synergies that exist, and must be strengthened, between
development economics, social protection and democratisation. If
international organisations and development professionals continue to deal
with these elements individually, their efforts to increase peace and stability
in transition and developing countries are doomed to be unsuccessful.
So far, most of international organisations (like the UNDP, Unicef, USAid
and World Bank) have preferred to implement an institutionalised
approach to development. While this approach to development has
succeeded to obtain significant short-term results, it has not achieved longterm goals such as economic growth, individual well-being, communitybased solidarities, interpersonal trust and political representation.
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The lesson I draw attention to in my book is 'please keep the global picture
in mind!', which is to help citizens to live in a place where they can access
basic infrastructure and facilities (roads, hospitals, schools), get

employment, are not segregated or face discrimination and have a voice in

the political system through voting rights.
Economic development is crucial in this case because it provides the basis
for technological advancement and innovation, which, subsequently, leads
to better access to jobs and improvement in standard of living.
However, clientelism and corruption still need to be tackled when financing
a project.
International organisations and development professionals should also
push for reforming social protection systems to make them more inclusive
and ensure equal access. Not surprisingly, the affection of citizens to their
governments is often proportional to the benefits that these institutions are
able to deliver in practical terms. As several surveys have constantly
shown democracy remains a system to be pursued, but only if it is able to
offer what the citizens really need in material terms
In the resource rich countries of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Angola, Cte
d'Ivoire, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and
South Africa, missing the link between development economics, social
protection and democratisation has led to a competition among political
elites for natural resources that has often favoured one group of the society
at the expenses of others. This results in anger and resentment, often
leading to civil tensions and armed conflicts.
Similarly, in resource scarce countries such as Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali,
Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Togo and Uganda, missing the
link has resulted in a clientelistic acquisition of state-assets by political
elites. This has increased tensions and nurtured armed conflicts among the
different constituencies of the society.
In Middle East and North Africa, the increase in global food prices in 2008
and in 2010, followed by an unprecedented drought, has led to a dramatic
food crisis. The governments there haven't been able to respond through the
usual means of price subsidies. Interestingly, while for most international
observers the Arab Spring has opened, at least initially, the door to a new
wave of democratisation, its future developments are still uncertain.
Missing the link can, in this case, not only destroy the citizens' requests for
freedom and for more distributive justice, but it can also lead to new and

worst forms of authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism and terrorist

affiliation.
Alfio Cerami has held appointments at European and non-European
universities, and was an international consultant for Unicef. He is the
author of Permanent emergency welfare regimes in sub-Saharan Africa:
the exclusive origins of dictatorship and democracy