Imported

As Africa looks to draw in hundreds of billions of dollars over the coming years to finance its infrastructure, invest in its businesses, and support its development programs, Imported brings much-needed attention to the obvious and not-so-obvious human and economic cost to the region of its over-reliance on imported goods, capital, and expertise from other parts of the world in trying to meet those aims. Rather than locking in the capital it attracts, its pervasive culture of importing sees Africa relinquish much of what it stands to gain from foreign direct investment.

Imported sheds light on the current methods employed by governments, development organizations and impact investors on development projects and initiatives in Africa. It explores ways to reorientate foreign investment, overseas development assistance, and Africa’s long-term sustainable development goals to lock in Africa’s wealth for the benefit of Africa first.