The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD): Problems and Prospects

Abstract

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is the latest continent-wide development programme aimed at reducing Africa's poverty, promoting its accelerated growth and sustainable development and halting its marginalisation in the globalization process. This study attempts to advance the case that NEPAD, given its concepts, programmes and strategies for implementation possesses the important features that distinguishes it and puts it in a better position to succeed where past continental development efforts and programmes have failed. In doing this, the study highlights the problems and challenges this bold initiative faces such as funding, carrying along the critical segments of the society and its ability to meet its targeted goals. However, with NEPAD's innovative initiatives such as Peace and Security, Good Governance, African Peer Review Mechanism, Constructive Partnership, and emphasis on Mobilization of Internal Resources, Africa is now, better equipped to overcome its problems and challenges. The study concludes by proffering some recommendations that would assist in laying a solid foundation for the sustainability of the NEPAD initiative and put Africa on the path of steady growth and sustainable development.