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WHAT NEPAD IMPLIES FOR AFRICAN POLICY MAKERS
UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
Twenty-first meeting of the Committee of Experts of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance,
Planning and Economic Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16-18 October 2002
Thirty-fifth Session of the Commission/Conference of
African Ministers of Finance, Planning and
Economic Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 19-21 October 2002
30 September 2002
Posted with permission of the ECA
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OVERVIEW
The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is the framework for fulfilling Africa's promise of a brighter future. Conceived and developed by African leaders, it has been well received by the international community. It aspires to reverse Africa's economic decline, end Africa's marginalization, and consolidate new political and economic systems of responsive and accountable government.
The expected outcomes of the implementation of NEPAD are: high and sustainable economic growth; reductions in poverty and inequality; diversified productive activities, enhanced international competitiveness and increased exports; and greater African integration.
This Issues Paper explores the implications of NEPAD for African policy makers. Drawing on the content of the NEPAD document, the paper shows that finance and economic development framework will be critical in ensuring the successful implementation of NEPAD. Why? Because sound economic policy-making and execution are preconditions for the renewal of Africa.
African policy makers need to:
- Develop comprehensive development plans based on and consistent with the NEPAD guidelines.
- Take the leadership role in articulating and implementing such plans within government.
- Ensure that the objectives of public expenditures are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
- Establish and promote effective partnerships between the government and the private sector, between government and civil society and between government and international development partners.
- Support and champion the peer review mechanism as a way to promote and speed up the implementation of NEPAD.
- Articulate an African position on market access, on ODA, and on debt reduction.
- Work together to harmonize economic policies and governance practices throughout Africa for faster regional integration.
None of this will be easy, but it is all doable.
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