A Historical Evolution of (Nepad) the New Partnership for African Development 2001-2010
Chapter One of A Historical Evolution of (Nepad) the New Partnership for African Development 2001-2010
INTRODUCTION
The phrase “Nigeria as the giant of Africa” has been known by many nations because of the leading roles she plays in policy-makings and their implementations. Also, these leading roles are prevalent in her military prowess, landscape, natural and human resources and natural endowment. The larger world as well as other African nations has in contemporary time looked up to Nigeria as the “Savior” of African race given the enormity of the resources that mother nature had endowed her with in comparison to other African states.1
Sequel to the above, Nigeria has also played leading and significant roles towards the establishment of various agencies such as Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and African Union (AU) among others. This same philosophy informed her strategic roles aimed at establishing and realizing the objectives of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). 2 To this end, the thrust of this research revolves around the enormous issues, challenges and prospects of this African project called NEPAD.
The phrase “Nigeria, the Giant of Africa” has been so used by Nigerians especially our leaders that people of critical mind sometimes wonder what has been the basis for this judgment. In other words, analysts and scholars from time to time have attempted to look at Nigeria’s claim to leadership in Africa from various perspectives. The most popular and noticeable reasons always for these include Nigeria’s population, military strength, land mass, natural and mineral resources, etc. 3
In addition, the larger World has in contemporary time looked up to Nigeria to play a leading role in African Affairs, given the enormity of the resources that nature has endowed on her as compared to other African states. Whether Nigeria has been able to justify this confidence is yet another thing
What this research seeks to do essentially therefore is an appraisal of what contributions Nigeria has made in realizing the aims and objectives articulated in the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
As is traditional with programmes of this nature, statements articulating aims and objectives, both long-term and short are always in abundant supply. Whether these aims and objectives are later realized however depends on availability of resources and the kind of determination of the promoters of such programmes.
The aims and objectives drawn up by African leaders who are the main promoters of the programmes are all embracing, covering almost all areas of problems, needs and general aspirations of the African continent.
However, the long term objective of NEPAD as contained in public enlightenment series published by the Justice Development and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu Ode are:-
- to eradicate poverty in Africa and to place African countries both individually and collectively on a path of sustainable growth and development, and thus halt the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process and
- to promote the role of women in all activities.
Specific goals of the programme, which are many, include the followings:
- to achieve and sustain an average percent (7%) per annum for the next 15 years.
- to ensure that the continent achieves the agreed International Development Goals (I.D.G) as thus:-
- Reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2015.
- Enrolment of all children of school age in primary school by 2015.
- Making progress towards gender equality and empowerment of women.
- Reducing infant mortality ratio by two third (2/3) by 2015.
- Reducing maternal mortality ratio by two third (2/3) in 2015.
- Providing access for all who need reproductive health services by 2015.
- To implement national strategies for sustainable development by 2015 so as to reverse the loss of environmental degradation 1 pollution. 4