Determinants of FDI and Economic Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper examines the effects of economic integration, FDI and increased trade liberalization in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is a region notorious for low human development indexes, slow economic grown and high levels of corruption. Ever since the inception of western aid and corporate interests, the region has no developed at we should expect. This paper will look to find the effects of increased “globalization” in the region and attempt to suggest reasons for the developmental challenges rampant in this region of the world. I expect to find that even though development has increased in some areas (for variables such as fossil fuel consumption); there will also be uncharacteristic stagnation and possible “reversed” development in some areas. With preexisting institutions and corrupt government practices/officials, I expect the results to find that neoliberalist policy, foreign direct investment and economic openness will lead to no or negative developmental results