The New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) and the African Union : issues and future prospects

• Main Author: Du Preez, Peter (Peter Osmond)
• Other Authors: Breytenbach, W. J.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: New Partnership for Africa's Development; Africa > Economic conditions; Africa > Economic policy; Dissertations > Business management; Theses > Business management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53140

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While The New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) is a grand plan by African leaders to eradicate poverty and to place their countries on a path of sustainable growth and development, the African Union (AU) will attempt to unite Africa economically and to succeed where the non-interventionist Organisation of African Unity (OAU) had failed. What makes Nepad different to earlier plans is that African leaders have now taken the initiative and are assuming responsibility for the process. A requirement for Nepad to gain momentum is that peace and security must prevail on the continent. The responsibility for creating this environment will rest mainly on the shoulders of the AU. The purpose of this research is (a) To describe • the objectives of the AU and Nepad; • the AU's protocols and decisions on peace, security and good governance, and to highlight some accountability and enforcement challenges it will face; • the structure and organs of Nepad; • the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM); and • the relations between Nepad, the AU and the G8; (b) To identify points of convergence / divergence between the AU and Nepad; (c) To evaluate • the AU on the basis of its handling of pressing leadership challenges on the African continent, in particular Zimbabwe, and • Nepad on the basis of progress made thus far with the implementation thereof. Nepad's preconditions for sustainable development imply that if the Peace and Security Council of the AU fails in its mission, Nepad will also fail, since satisfying these conditions - peace, security and political governance- is absolutely essential if Africa wants to attract the desperately needed capital flows from the industrial world. Chapter Two describes the major accountability and enforcement challenges that the AU will face. The author is of the opinion that the current lack of political will by African leaders to denounce the Mugabe regime, both individually and collectively as AU members, is severely damaging the credibility of both the AU and Nepad. Funding the AU may prove to be a huge stumbling block for the organisation. The AU should anticipate the unwillingness of members to pay their contributions, and therefore take a firm stand from the outset by imposing sanctions and/or withdrawing voting rights, as the OAU had to do to force countries to pay their dues. The author points out how contradictions in Nepad documents cause confusion, especially over certain security initiatives such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the AU's Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA). Despite not having consulted and involved a broad spectrum from the outset and despite lack of clarity, Nepad seems to have made considerable progress in coopting role players who will be involved with projects on the ground. Nevertheless, due to the unwillingness of continental leaders to speak up against the Mugabe regime, the prognosis is that Nepad and the AU stand to loose face. Both Nepad and the AU need to build momentum, particularly around issues such as credibility and transparency, to prove its value. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Terwyl die Nuwe Vennootskap vir Afrika se Ontwikkeling (Nepad) 'n plan van Afrikaleiers is om armoede op die vasteland uit te roei en om hul onderskeie lande op die pad van volhoubare ontwikkeling te plaas, gaan die Afrika Unie (AU) poog om Afrika ekonomies te verenig, iets wat die nie-inmengende Organisasie vir Eenheid in Afrika (OEA) nie kon vermag nie. Wat Nepad anders maak as vorige pogings is dat die inisiatief van Afrika-leiers self afkomstig is en dat elkeen verantwoordelikheid vir die proses aanvaar. 'n Vereiste vir Nepad om te slaag is dat vrede en stabiliteit in Afrika moet heers, en die verantwoordelikheid om hierdie kondisie te skep berus by die AU. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is (a) Om die volgende te beskryf: • Die doelwitte van die AU en Nepad; • Die verskillende protokols van die AU en besluite rondom vrede, sekuriteit en goeie regering, asook die uitdagings rondom toerekenbaarheid en die uitvoering van besluite; • Die struktuur van Nepad; • Die Oorsigmeganisme (APRM); • Verhoudinge tussen Nepad, die AU en die G8; (b) Om konvergente en divergente aspekte van die AU en Nepad uit te wys; (c) Om die volgende te evalueer: • Die AU op grond van sy hantering van dreigende leierskapsuitdagings, en in besonder Zimbabwe, en • Nepad op grond van die vordering wat tot op hede gemaak is met die implimentering daarvan. Nepad se voorvereistes vir volhoubare ontwikkeling impliseer dat sou die Veiligheidsraad van die AU in sy missie misluk, Nepad ook sal misluk, aangesien , vrede, stabiliteit en goeie regering absoluut noodsaaklik is indien Afrika die broodnodige kapitaal van die industriële wêreld na die kontinent wil lok. In Hoofstuk Twee word die vernaamste uitdagings rondom toerekenvatbaarheid en uitvoerbaarheid wat die AU in die gesig staar, bespreek. Die skrywer is van mening dat die huidige gebrek aan politieke wil deur leiers om, beide individueel en gesamentlik as AU lede, die Mugabe regime te kritiseer, die geloofwaardigheid van beide Nepad en die AU ernstige skade berokken. Die befondsing van die AU mag potensieël 'n struikelblok vir die organisasie word. Die AU moet verwag dat sommige lede onwillig mag wees om hul bydraes te betaal, en om hierdie rede moet vanuit die staanspoor daadwerklik teen sulkes opgetree word. Sanksies en die weerhouing van stemreg is twee maniere om nie-betalers aan te spreek, net soos die OEA destyds gedoen het met lidlande wat in gebreke gebly het om bydraes te betaal. Die skrywer wys ook daarop hoe Nepad dokumente mekaar weerspreek, veral ten opsigte van die Oorsigmeganisme (APRM) en die AU se Konferensie oor Sekuriteit, Stabiliteit, Ontwikkeling en Samewerking in Afrika (CSSDCA). Dit skep verwarring. Ten spyte van die feit dat die Nepad proses in gebreke gebly het om wyd te konsulteer, asook ten spyte van die verwarring wat heers, is daar reeds beduidende vordering gemaak wat betref die koöptering van belangrike rolspelers wat op voetsoolvlak by projekte betrokke gaan wees. Desnieteenstaande, Nepad en die AU loop die gevaar om aansien te verloor as gevolg van die onbereidwilligheid van Afrika-leiers om teen die Mugabe regime op te tree. Deursigtigheid en geloofwaardigheid is twee aspekte waaraan beide Nepad en die AU ernstig moet aandag gee om daadwerklik waarde toe te voeg.