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This paper investigates the link between foreign direct investment (FDI), democracy and economic growth on a panel of eight Southern African countries for 1980-2014 using the system generalized method-of-moment (GMM) estimator. We find that FDI has a direct positive effect on economic growth and that strong democratic institutions are a significant driver of economic growth in the sample countries. The impact of FDI on economic growth is dependent on the level of democracy in the host countries. This implies that countries with strong democratic institutions are better able to absorb the positive spillovers from FDI. In policy terms, Southern African countries should sustain the institutional reform policy agenda already in place in order to benefit more from the significant inflows of FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyse the spillover effects of corruption and democracy on foreign direct investment (FDI) attractiveness in sub‐Saharan Africa. To accomplish this, a dynamic spatial Durbin model that allows identification of both the endogenous and contextual effects was estimated. The results of the analysis show the presence of spatial interdependence of FDI attractiveness in sub‐Saharan African countries. The spillover effects transiting through democracy push FDI to agglomerate, while corruption pushes FDI to disperse. Furthermore, we find a strategic complementarity in FDI inflows between the countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, suggesting that an increase in FDI inflows to a host country is likely to stimulate FDI inflows to its neighbours. Therefore, they must coordinate their policies to attract FDI by setting up non‐discriminatory incentives between countries to limit the costs linked to attractiveness policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]