NEPAD and Challenge of African Development
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and poverty in Africa
- To ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and diseases
- To ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and genocide conflict
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
NEPAD’s Origins
In the late 1990s, a new breed of African leaders emerged seeking to place Africa’s plight at the centre of global discussions and reverse the decline of the continent. Coincidently, three African leaders were the heads of three international organizations during 1999 and 2000. Nigeria`s President Olusegun Obasanjo chaired the G77, South Africa`s President Thabo Mbeki was the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Algeria`s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was the chair of the then OAU. The three presidents initiated what became known as: the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Plan (MAP), a comprehensive development plan which had a strong emphasis on good governance as a necessity for sustainable development. At about the same period, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade was championing the OMEGA Plan which focused primarily on building Africa`s Infrastructure, education, agriculture and health sector. The MAP and OMEGA were subsequently merged into the predecessor of NEPAD, the New Africa Initiative. The Lusaka OAU Summit of 2001 adopted NEPAD under the name of the New African Initiative (NAI) and the name was subsequently changed to NEPAD in October 2001. African leaders came to the conclusion that only through regional integration could the countries and regions of the continent could bring about the needed structural and economic changes. Regional integration remains a topmost priority to energize development on the continent. Stronger AU commitment to regional integration focuses on the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) serving as pillars and building blocks of regional and continental integration. Partnership support for the implementation of major regional programmes and projects is essential. Policy frameworks and initiatives adopted under the AU and its NEPAD Program include the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP); Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA); Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) for Science and Technology; and the Environment Action Plan (EAP), among others.
The impact of NEPAD on Africa’s development in the last decade
Looking back over the last decade, the impact of NEPAD on Africa has being mixed. NEPAD has recorded some very impressive successes whilst notable challenges have remained during phases of implementation. Over the last decade, the AU and its NEPAD Program have brought a renewed optimism and hope to its people. Key policy frameworks and programs on Africa`s socio-economic sectors including those on agriculture and food security, infrastructure, science and technology, education, ICT and capacity development amongst others have been developed. Plagued by an unpleasant history of peace and security, African leaders at the inaugural AU summit in Durban, South Africa adopted the Protocol on the establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and which provides a basis for the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). Through this process, there has been a substantial reduction in crisis points and conflicts in relation to the notorious era of the 1980s and 1990s. The uniqueness of the African growth path is that 22 non-oil exporting African countries have been recording growth of more than 4 per cent a year since 1998, including Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Uganda. These are all post-conflict economies, testifying to the sound macro-economic policies which have helped Africa to rebound quickly from global downturn. The recent performance provides testimony that change is possible but improving the poverty and nutrition indicators in Africa requires even faster and more widespread economic growth in order to markedly improve the lives of the most vulnerable.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought NEPAD and challenge of African development.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on NEPAD and challenge of African development. 200 staff of NEPAD, Abuja state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain NEPAD and challenge of African development. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of NEPAD and challenge of African development
Summary
This study was on NEPAD and challenge of African development. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and poverty in Africa, to ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and diseases, To ascertain the relationship between NEPAD and genocide conflict. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of NEPAD, Abuja. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made of administrative staff, directors, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
In spite of the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on Africa, the continent has been growing at unprecedented high growth rates. What needs to be achieved is to make the growth more inclusive, broad-based and sustainable. In the current global equation, Africa has two main advantages – the density of its natural resources in a context of increasing scarcity and its human capital, particularly the youth. Governance is another unlocking factor. The debate on whether NEPAD represents a step forward or whether it will become still born like many other African development initiatives of the 1980´s and 1990´s was a cause for concern amongst Africans.
Recommendation
The next decade for NEPAD will be to act more decisively on implementation of the sector policy frameworks that have been agreed consensually at both national and regional levels. The NEPAD vision, along with its principles and values belong to every citizen of Africa (including in the Diaspora) across the private sector, governments, regional bodies and non-state actors. The relevance and success of NEPAD depends on the extent to which the African people and particularly civil society are involved in the process of its implementation.
References
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- Adesina, J. 2001b. ‘Introduction’, in J Adesina, Nigerian Social Science Resource Database, Ibadan, IFRA.
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- Adesina, J. 2002b. ‘Development and the challenge of poverty: NEPAD, post-Washington Consensus and Beyond,’ Lead Paper, CODESRIA/ TWN Conference on Africa and the Challenge of the 21st century. Accra, 23-26 April. (Forthcoming as a chapter in a collection to be published by CODESRIA).
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- Adesina, J. 2002d. ‘Africa and the Challenge of Social Policy: the quest for inclusive development process’. (A project description paper for UNRISD), UNRISD, Geneva (mimeo). Anyang’ Nyong’o, Peter, Ghirmazion, Aseghedech, and Lamba, Davinder. (eds.) 2002. NEPAD: A New Path?, Nairobi, Heinrich Böll Foundation.
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