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In the last thirty years, remarkable achievements have been made in China's poverty reduction course. The dramatic fall in China's poor can be attributed mainly to a high rate of economic growth, government poverty reduction policies and targeted programmes and pro-poor macroeconomic and industrial policies. This paper focuses on China's poverty reduction policies and programmes and their impact on the poor regions and poor households. Lessons are drawn for poverty reduction and economic development in African countries. The paper also explores the potential for collaboration in poverty reduction between China and African countries and recommendations are made for the governments and donor agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper uses a simple macroeconomic model to estimate the impact of debt relief and terms of trade shocks on growth and poverty in African countries. For the 18 heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) that reached the enhanced HIPC decision point by end-December 2000, the basic quantitative findings are that HIPC debt relief has boosted economic growth in these countries by an average of 2.9 percent per annum and that the computed result of this increase in growth is a reduction in poverty by an average of 2.2 percent per annum. However, the paper shows that recent deteriorations in the terms of trade have counter-balanced these positive effects by lowering growth by an average of 2.0 percent per annum and by increasing poverty by an average of 1.3 percent per annum. Clearly, much of the positive impact emanating from the HIPC Initiative has been eroded due to recent deteriorations in the terms of trade. The paper also estimates the net effect on growth and poverty of the recently agreed 100 percent multilateral debt relief. This is predicted to boost economic growth by an average of 5 percent per annum and reduce poverty by about 5.3 percent per annum for the group of all African HIPCs. The paper concludes that 100 percent debt relief is crucial for Africa, but that more aid and policies need to be focused on a long-term development strategy that fosters the necessary structural transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Russian government aims to halve poverty in Russia within the next ten years. The role of this paper is to explore why this very ambitious target is not just concerned with macro-economic growth. It argues that the way the state conceptualises, and quantifies, poverty will provide significant barriers to its objectives. To explore this, drawing on qualitative research conducted in three Russian cities, the paper explores how the state defines poverty before critically examining how political 'elites' view 'the poor'. It is argues that without a radical rethinking of these discourses significant poverty reduction will prove very difficult to achieve. This enables discussions on how marginalized individuals mediate these discourses and how they impact on their interactions with the state. The final sections of the paper explore these issues through the lens of the current welfare reforms that the federal government planned to introduce in January 2005. It is argued that rather than reducing poverty these reforms will instead increase everyday uncertainty among the marginalized and will impact negatively on their existing coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the causal relationship between poverty reduction and economic growth in Swaziland during the period 1980-2011. Unlike some of the previous studies, the current study uses the newly developed ardl-bounds testing approach to co-integration, and the ecmbasedGranger causalitymethod to examine this linkage. The study also incorporates financial development as a third variable affecting both poverty reduction and economic growth - thereby leading to a trivariate model. The results of this study show that economic growth does not Grangercause poverty reduction in Swaziland - either in the short run or in the long run. Instead, the study finds a causal flow from poverty reduction to economic growth in the short run. These findings, however, are not surprising, given the high level of income inequality in Swaziland. Studies have shown that when the level of income inequality is too high, economic growth alone may not necessarily lead to poverty reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present recent changes in the macroeconomic policy framework in Brazil and its effects on social policy, particularly with regard to poverty reduction. From 2003 onwards, a new pattern of economic growth prevails, reducing poverty and inequality on the grounds of domestic market expansion and low income groups consumption. This paper also outlines the remaining challenges for achieving social equity and inclusion, highlighting a major issue in the pending agenda: a progressive tax reform in order to leverage the financing of universal social policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]