Resumen de Life expectancy, education and development In African countries 1980-2014: improvements and international comparisons

María del Carmen Guisán Seijas, Pilar Expósito Díaz

• Life expectancy has increased in the majority of African countries for the period 1980-2014, with an average increase slightly higher than that of World average for that period. Due to the low starting values of year 1960, and to the slow increase of the period 1960-1980, many Sub-Saharan countries presented, in year 2014, low values in comparison with World average: 59 years in Sub-Saharan Africa and 71 as World average. Northern Africa has experienced a very positive evolution reaching World average in year 2014. We present some econometric models to analyze the positive impact of education and development in the evolution of life expectancy of African countries, having into account that there are also other factors related with geography, social features, health assistance, sanitation infrastructures and other factors that also explain differences among countries. We include an analysis of several causes of death, with adjusted rates particularly high in many Sub-Saharan countries, in comparison with the World average of the Age Specific Death Rate (ASDR). Finally we call to support the initiatives for a kind of Marshall Plan for Africa, as those suggested many years ago by Angelopoulos and Klein and currently from some from European Union countries or other areas. The article concludes insisting on the main factors that might help to improve development, life expectancy and quality of life in Africa, and calling to foster international initiatives of cooperation in this regard