The Brain Drain in Africa

Increased attention has recently been paid to the phenomenon of the brain drain of skilled (and often unskilled) Africans from their home countries to countries in the West. In part this is because of the relatively large percentages of skilled Africans going abroad. It is also due to the increased focus on the economic development of Africa in general, and the concern that many countries in Africa may be lagging behind economically and stuck in a poverty trap. Further, human capital, educated workers, and technology are perceived to be instrumental for economic development and competitiveness in today’s world, so the drain of skilled professionals is of concern (see e.g. Benhabib and Spiegel 2005).