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Im vergangenen Jahr sind in kriegerischen Konflikten und bei Überfällen mehr als 140 humanitäre Helferinnen und Helfer getötet worden.

Social cohesion has recently gained increasing attention in academic and policy circles. Apart from being a necessary feature of stable societies per se, social cohesion is also a key factor for sustainable economic development. One potential means through which social cohesion could foster economic development is by enhancing financial development. In this paper, we examine whether social cohesion is significantly associated with firms’ access to finance in Africa. To this end, we use a recently constructed dataset on social cohesion in Africa, which is based on the Afrobarometer survey and the Varieties of Democracy database. The dataset contains indices for the three pillars of social cohesion – trust, inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good. Combining this dataset with that of the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, we build a sample which covers more than 12,500 firms and 27 African countries. Our results show that all three components of social cohesion are positively associated with at least one measure of firms’ access to external finance. In particular, trust – but not inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good – is significantly associated with the likelihood that firms have a checking or savings account, or are financially constrained. When we measure access to finance with respect to having a line of credit or a loan from a financial institution, all the three pillars of social cohesion, including inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good, are related to access to finance. The results are robust to addressing endogeneity concerns using a heteroskedasticity-based identification strategy. Overall, our results suggest that improving social cohesion (e.g. through social protection, education, strengthening civil society organisations) could do more than hold society together; it could also promote access to finance, growth of firms, and thus economic development and job creation.

Social cohesion has recently gained increasing attention in academic and policy circles. Apart from being a necessary feature of stable societies per se, social cohesion is also a key factor for sustainable economic development. One potential means through which social cohesion could foster economic development is by enhancing financial development. In this paper, we examine whether social cohesion is significantly associated with firms’ access to finance in Africa. To this end, we use a recently constructed dataset on social cohesion in Africa, which is based on the Afrobarometer survey and the Varieties of Democracy database. The dataset contains indices for the three pillars of social cohesion – trust, inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good. Combining this dataset with that of the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, we build a sample which covers more than 12,500 firms and 27 African countries. Our results show that all three components of social cohesion are positively associated with at least one measure of firms’ access to external finance. In particular, trust – but not inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good – is significantly associated with the likelihood that firms have a checking or savings account, or are financially constrained. When we measure access to finance with respect to having a line of credit or a loan from a financial institution, all the three pillars of social cohesion, including inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good, are related to access to finance. The results are robust to addressing endogeneity concerns using a heteroskedasticity-based identification strategy. Overall, our results suggest that improving social cohesion (e.g. through social protection, education, strengthening civil society organisations) could do more than hold society together; it could also promote access to finance, growth of firms, and thus economic development and job creation.

Social cohesion has recently gained increasing attention in academic and policy circles. Apart from being a necessary feature of stable societies per se, social cohesion is also a key factor for sustainable economic development. One potential means through which social cohesion could foster economic development is by enhancing financial development. In this paper, we examine whether social cohesion is significantly associated with firms’ access to finance in Africa. To this end, we use a recently constructed dataset on social cohesion in Africa, which is based on the Afrobarometer survey and the Varieties of Democracy database. The dataset contains indices for the three pillars of social cohesion – trust, inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good. Combining this dataset with that of the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, we build a sample which covers more than 12,500 firms and 27 African countries. Our results show that all three components of social cohesion are positively associated with at least one measure of firms’ access to external finance. In particular, trust – but not inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good – is significantly associated with the likelihood that firms have a checking or savings account, or are financially constrained. When we measure access to finance with respect to having a line of credit or a loan from a financial institution, all the three pillars of social cohesion, including inclusive identity and cooperation for the common good, are related to access to finance. The results are robust to addressing endogeneity concerns using a heteroskedasticity-based identification strategy. Overall, our results suggest that improving social cohesion (e.g. through social protection, education, strengthening civil society organisations) could do more than hold society together; it could also promote access to finance, growth of firms, and thus economic development and job creation.

Nigeria beat France 1-0 in their opening group match at the Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica, but Ghana lost 3-0 to the USA.

Deutschland setzt den Bundeswehr-Einsatz im westafrikanischen Mali bis auf Weiteres aus. Das teilte ein Sprecher des Verteidigungsministeriums am Freitag in Berlin mit.

Bonne nouvelle pour les apprenants à partir de la rentrée scolaire 2022-2023. Les cantines scolaires seront ouvertes dès le premier jour. Le porte-parole du gouvernement, Wilfried L. Houngbédji a donné l'information sur la station régionale de l'ORTB à Parakou en début de semaine.

Le gouvernement prend les mesures nécessaires pour assurer aux apprenants, une bonne rentrée scolaire. Le secrétaire général adjoint du gouvernement, Wilfried L. Houngbédji a donné l'assurance en début de semaine à Parakou. « Les cantines scolaires seront ouvertes dès le premier jour de la rentrée dans les établissements primaires du Bénin », a-t-il rassuré.
Dans le cadre de la prochaine rentrée, 4 405 aspirants au métier d'enseignant seront déployés dans les écoles. Ceux titulaires du Baccalauréat bénéficieront d'un programme spécial de renforcement de capacités.

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Der Autobauer Mercedes-Benz baut die Fertigung von E-Auto-Batteriezellen gemeinsam mit dem chinesischen Batteriekonzern CATL aus. In Ungarn entstehe eine neue Produktionsstätte für Batteriezellen des chinesischen Anbieters, teilte Mercedes am Freitag in Stuttgart mit.

Der VW-Konzern hat nach einem bisher schwachen Jahr im Juli fast so viele Autos verkaufen können wie vor einem Jahr. Mit 725'400 Stück lieferte Volkswagen weltweit nur rund 200 Fahrzeuge weniger aus als ein Jahr zuvor, wie der Konzern am Freitag mitteilte.

Le Mali est en deuil après les effroyables attaques terroristes ayant ciblé les unités de l’armée maliennes à Tessit, au Nord-Est du pays. L’Algérie a réagi ce jeudi à ces attaques terroristes en les condamnant énergétiquement. Le Ministère des Affaires Étrangères et de la Communauté nationale à l’étranger a fait savoir que « l’Algérie condamne énergétiquement […]

L’article L’Algérie réagit aux attaques terroristes perpétrées à Tessit au Mali est apparu en premier sur .

La visite à Taïwan de la présidente de la Chambre des représentants des États-Unis, Nancy Pelosi, pourrait-elle avoir déclenché la quatrième crise majeure dans le détroit de Taïwan ?

Mit der Millionen-Gentherapie Zolgensma verspricht Novartis eine einmalige Behandlung einer seltenen Erbkrankheit. Das steckt hinter der Therapie.

Le lundi 15 août prochain est férié. La communauté chrétienne célèbre l'Assomption de la Vierge Marie.
Pas de journée continue ce vendredi 12 août dans les banques. Elles ouvrent jusqu'à 17 heures.
Par contre ce samedi 13 août, les banques seront fermées avant de rouvrir le lundi 16 août.

In the face of energy shortages and rising electricity prices, several EU countries are discussing how to save the economy while easing the burden on citizens. Europe's press engages in a lively debate about excess profits taxes, subsidies, ways to save energy and the role of politics.

Finland and Estonia have called on the other EU member states to suspend the issuing of visas to Russian tourists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called for this measure. The EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the proposal before the end of August. Europe's press is divided on the issue.