The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a comprehensive integrated sustainable development initiative for the economic and social revival of Africa. It is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and shared conviction that they have a pressing duty to the African people to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on the path of sustainable growth and development, at the same time, to participate actively in the world economy and body politic.
NEPAD envisages a new framework of an Action Plan between the continent and the rest of the world based on Africa setting its own agenda. It seeks to lay out, in broad terms, a strategy for Africa’s economic renaissance and sustainable development. It is a comprehensive integrated development plan that addresses key social, economic, environmental and political priorities.
NEPAD is a unique opportunity to improve governance in Africa and lure investment to the continent. Its foundation stone is a commitment to uphold global standards of democracy and good governance. But if these are to become real, NEPAD will have to be transformed into an internal relationship of accountability between African governments and their own citizens. The ability of the programme to achieve objectives will depend largely upon what the governments do, primarily at a national level, to implement the commitments in the comprehensive plan. National interpretation, ownership and control are critical factors that will determine the success or otherwise of NEPAD.
For NEPAD to have a real impact on the lives and livelihoods of Nigerian people, it will be vital to engage all stakeholders including the private and public sector, and the civil society in the “NEPAD National Process” according to country-owned development strategies. The Plan has to effectively take off at the national level. A proper legislative backing may be needed to put in place an effective and functional institutional arrangement for the operationalization of NEPAD programmes in Nigeria.
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;
- To enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy;
- To accelerate the empowerment of women.
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
- 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 partnership with NEPAD are linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and other agreed development
goals and targets.