New Partnership for Africa's Development (nepad) - Development Goals and Strategies

LETHUKUTHULA MNCEDISI NKOMO

208517727

TUTOR: JOHN FILITZ

TUTORIAL ASSIGNMENT THREE

This essay will be considering the development goals and strategies that were adopted by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and its promotion of Public-Private Partnership (PPP). It will take into account on how NEPAD offers an alternative path to development in Africa that is sustainable and beneficial to all and the role of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs). Furthermore it will look at how these NEPAD objectives which are poverty eradication, sustainable development and the promotion of the role of the women in the society and in developing the economy and shaping Africa's development.

NEPAD was adopted for poverty eradication, sustainable development and the role played by Africa in the globalization process. NEPAD has ideologies which are contradictory to its long term objectives, for example public-private partnership (PPP) in infrastructure as major role players not the governments. When PPPs allow for private investment the state government does not have much say towards the economic policies that are imposed. The NEPAD policy document ignores the role of the government in planning and industrial development. (Loxley, 2003:127) argues that NEPADs emphasis on promoting the private sector simply allows for dominance of neo-liberal economic paradigm. This policy document does not allow for Africa to come out with its own economic and development policies. Africa requires for projects which will ensure poverty eradication not Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP) which promotes unequal capital distribution. As (Matthews;2004.501) stated " NEPAD like many development programmes, does not articulate a clear and detailed vision of the future that it aims to bring about, but rather focuses on strategies for development". But NEPAD is not a policy document that is totally disadvantage Africa as it addresses neo-liberal economic strategies. Matthews argues that NEPAD is an eclectic combination of modernization and dependency theory as theoretical framework. These two theories have been used to assess Africa's development in relation to the new economic policies that have been adopted by African countries. The policies are all product of post-Washington consensus in which World Bank and International Monitory Fund were formed. NEPAD has caused tensions in Organization of African Unity (OAU) for there are no clear resolutions on how poverty, unemployment, better education for Africans will be achieved. Adesina stated that this policy document was signed by four African leaders which were thought to be doing it for civil society benefits. In this summary the distinct aspects of what is called development for Africa in the critique of