Resource governance and the crisis of development

Abstract

This chapter explores existing explanations relating to the linkages between natural resource endowment and the crises of development in some African countries. While noting the role of the so-called “resource curse” in the unfolding crises, the chapter goes beyond the limitations of resource determinism to examine the internal and external linkages to the politics of resource governance and how this leads to diverse outcomes in different settings. In conclusion, the chapter lays bare the emerging dimensions of the increased globalization of Africa’s natural resources and the prospects for sustainable development on the continent.