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Leonard Wantchekon

Leonard Wantchekon

Board Member

Professor Leonard Wantchekon is the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University, as well as Professor of Politics and International Affairs. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a member of the Executive Committee of the International Economic Association, and has served as Secretary of the American Political Science Association and on the Executive Committee of the Afrobarometer Network. Wantchekon is also the Founder and President of the African School of Economics, which opened in Benin in 2014 (and has since added a second campus in Cote d’Ivoire), and the Founder and President of the Pan-African Scientific Research Council. He previously served as professor at New York University and at Yale University, and holds a PhD in Economics from Northwestern University.

 

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A Zambian Road to Nowhere

A Zambian Road to Nowhere: The History of Big (Road) Infrastructure and the 2011-2022 Zambian Road-Building Boom

For decades, policymakers, donor organizations, and academics have engaged in a debate over economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa, proposing different policy responses over time. In recent years, there has been a renewed emphasis on the significance of infrastructure, especially due to the exorbitant transportation costs in the region. The question remains: can improved road infrastructure help sub-Saharan Africa surmount the geographic distance barriers that impede economic growth? This paper seeks to delve into the potential long-term economic effects of Zambia’s road construction boom between 2011 and 2022.

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