title: The effect of illicit financial flows on time to reach the fourth Millennium Development Goal in Sub-Saharan Africa: a quantitative analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper sets out to estimate the cost of illicit financial flows (IFF) in terms of the amount of time it could take to reach the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) in 34 African countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have calculated the percentage increase in gross domestic product (GDP) if IFFs were curtailed using IFF/GDP ratios. We applied the income (GDP) elasticity of child mortality to the increase in GDP to estimate the reduction in time to reach the fourth MDG in 34 African countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  children aged under five years.
  
  
  METHODS
  34 countries in SSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reduction in time to reach the first indicator of the fourth MDG, under-five mortality rate in the absence of IFF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that in the 34 SSA countries, six countries will achieve their fourth MDG target at the current rates of decline. In the absence of IFF, 16 countries would reach their fourth MDG target by 2015 and there would be large reductions for all other countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This drain on development is facilitated by financial secrecy in other jurisdictions. Rich and poor countries alike must stem the haemorrhage of IFF by taking decisive steps towards improving financial transparency.
authors: College of Medicine, St Andrews University, Blantyre 3, Malawi.
authors: Bernadette
authors: B
authors: O'Hare
authors: Innocent
authors: I
authors: Makuta
authors: Naor
authors: N
authors: Bar-Zeev
authors: Levison
authors: L
authors: Chiwaula
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Cobham
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003415:Crime / Q000191:economics*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics*; D006040:Goals; D059066:Gross Domestic Product; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
keywords: child mortality; illicit financial flows; millennium development goals