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NEPAD - New Partnership for Africa's Development

by Mkhululi Ncube — last modified 2009-04-23 14:52

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction, that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and body politic. The Programme is anchored on the determination of Africans to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalising world.

NEPAD - www.nepad.org

Origins and Background of NEPAD

The NEPAD strategic framework document arises from a mandate given to the five initiating Heads of State:- Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to develop an integrated socio-economic development framework for Africa. The 37th Summit of the OAU in July 2001 formally adopted the strategic framework document.

What is NEPAD?

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a VISION and STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR AFRICA’s RENEWAL

The need for NEPAD?

NEPAD is designed to address the current challenges facing the African continent. Issues such as the escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa needed a new radical intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to develop a new Vision that would guarantee Africa’s Renewal.

Structure for Implementing NEPAD

NEPAD is a programme of the African Union designed to meet its development objectives. The highest authority of the NEPAD implementation process is the Heads of State and Government Summit of the African Union, formerly known as the OAU.

The Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSIC) comprises 3 states per AU region as mandated by the OAU Summit of July 2001 and ratified by the AU Summit of July 2002. The HSIC reports to the AU Summit on an annual basis.

The Steering Committee of NEPAD comprises the Personal Representatives of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government. This Committee oversees projects and programme development.

The NEPAD Secretariat coordinates implementation of projects and programmes approved by the HSIC.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) through the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) (formerly Regional Consultation Mechanism) chairs the secretariat of the United Nation's Support to the AU and NEPAD. The Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) operates through 'clustering' UN agencies working within the country and sub-regional levels to 'Deliver as One' in its support to the AU and NEPAD.

NEPAD PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

To eradicate poverty;
To place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development;
To halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy;
To accelerate the empowerment of women

PRINCIPLES OF NEPAD

Good governance as a basic requirement for peace, security and sustainable political and socio-economic development
African ownership and leadership, as well as broad and deep participation by all sectors of society;
Anchoring the development of Africa on its resources and resourcefulness of its people;
Partnership between and amongst African peoples;
Acceleration of regional and continental integration;
Building the competitiveness of African countries and the continent;
Forging a new international partnership that changes the unequal relationship between Africa and the developed world; and
Ensuring that all Partnerships with NEPAD are linked to the Millenium Development Goals and other agreed development goals and targets.

THE NEPAD PROGRAMME OF ACTION

The NEPAD Programme of Action is a holistic, comprehensive and integrated sustainable development initiative for the revival of Africa, guided by the aforementioned objectives, principles and strategic focus.

NEPAD PRIORITIES

Establishing the Conditions for Sustainable Development by ensuring: -

Peace and security;

Democracy and good, political, economic and corporate governance;

Regional co-operation and integration;

Capacity building.

Policy reforms and increased investment in the following priority sectors : -

Agriculture; The framework for Agriculture is known as the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)

Human development with a focus on health, education, science and technology and skills development;

Building and improving infrastructure, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation;

Promoting diversification of production and exports, particularly with respect to agro-industries, manufacturing, mining, mineral beneficiation and tourism;

Accelerating intra-African trade and improving access to markets of developed countries;

The environment.

Mobilising Resources by : -

Increasing domestic savings and investments;

Improving management of public revenue and expenditure;

Improving Africa’s share in global trade;

Attracting foreign direct investment; and

Increasing capital flows through further debt reduction and increase ODA flows.

IMMEDIATE DESIRED OUTCOMES OF NEPAD

Africa becomes more effective in conflict prevention and the establishment of enduring peace on the continent;

Africa adopts and implements principles of democracy and good political economic and corporate governance, and the protection of human rights becomes further entrenched in every African country;

Africa develops and implements effective poverty eradication programmes and accelerates the pace of achieving set African development goals, particularly human development;

Africa achieves increased levels of domestic savings, as well as investments, both domestic and foreign;

Increased levels of ODA to the continent are achieved and its effective utilisation maximised;

Africa achieves desired capacity for policy development, coordination and negotiation in the international arena, to ensure its beneficial engagement in the global economy, especially on trade and market access issues

Regional integration is further accelerated and higher levels of sustainable economic growth in Africa is achieved;

Genuine partnerships are established between Africa and the developed countries based on mutual respect and accountability.

KEY PRIORITY ACTION AREAS OF NEPAD

Operationalising the African Peer Review Mechanism

Facilitating and supporting implementation of the short-term regional infrastructure programmes covering Transport Energy, ICT, Water and Sanitation.

Facilitating implementation of the food security and agricultural development program in all sub-regions

Facilitating the preparation of a coordinated African position on Market Access, debt relief and ODA reforms

Monitoring and intervening as appropriate to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals in the areas of health and education are met.

source: NEPAD website(www.nepad.org),

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