Abstract

African countries are regularly confronted with the political and institutional instability although they have tendentiously growth rates. Thus, examining the impact of armed conflict on the competitiveness of six sub-Saharan countries and using annual data covering the period 1980 to 2008, this article takes into account the non-stationary heterogeneity explains both differences in competitiveness between countries and changes over time of performance of these countries. Our main results reveal the impact of the long period of civil war significantly different by level of competitiveness and the level of development of countries. Human capital, political stability and strengthening of non-price competitiveness are levers that States must invest more. Finally, we find that the speed of adjustment to permanent shocks is faster in countries in civil war in countries in war between states.