Roads, Institutions and the Primary Sector in West Africa

West Africa is a fast growing, less studied region constrained by limited infrastructure facilities. This region faces increasing challenges of food security, disease and climate-reliant agriculture. This dissertation goes in depth into the region and explores the role of the basic infrastructure—roads—in various aspects, such as the resource allocations of governments and the impact of democratization, dynamics in regional connections, child health and climate resilience. The last essay estimates the impact of investment risks on mining sector in developing countries.