Africa Makes Progress in Ambitious Renaissance Program for Continent

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 13, 2003

Africa Makes Progress in Ambitious Renaissance Program for Continent

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Africa has made some progress in its ambitious renaissance program with 30 percent of high priority projects reaching the implementation phase, said a senior official of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in Durban Thursday.

"NEPAD is adopting a two-pronged approach to bringing about progress. NEPAD project implementation is not adequate but progress has been made," said Wiseman Nkuhlu, chairman of NEPAD Steering Committee and economic adviser to South African President Thabo Mbeki, at a press conference along side with the ongoing Africa Economic Summit opened in the South African coastal city of Durban on Wednesday.

He said six out of 18 capacity-building projects, 24 out of 52 facilitation projects, eight out of 36 investment projects and three out of 18 studies on the short-term action plan were being implemented.

Adopted by African heads of state in Abuja in October 2001, NEPAD aims to rework the relationship between Africa and the developed world from one of beggar-philanthropist to equal partners with a common goal -- developing the continent not as an act of charity but for the sake of global prosperity and security.

The plan sets out an annual gross domestic product growth rate of more than 7 percent for the next 15 years and aims to reduce the number of Africans living in extreme poverty by half by 2015.

According to the NEPAD chairman, the African Development Bank had approved financing for two of the projects, linking up electricity power grids in West Africa and North Africa, which were expected to start first.

The short-list includes the long-awaited project to develop the Inga hydroelectric power plant on the Congo River and link it to African countries.

Nkuhlu said that African countries have also made some progress in such fields as peace and security, efficient government and good governance while the international communities such as the World Bank, the Europe Union and some countries have shown their interest to the NEPAD program.

He said that ways of improving Africa's social, economic and political situation are being sought, and that the continent's unbalanced relationship with the rest of the world as far as foreign debt and access to international markets are concerned is being addressed.

However, he noted, a key group of African leaders are committed to make the partnership work but there are others who are skeptical.

He said that he did not find this surprising because Africa hadbeen disappointed many times in the past.

"Everyone could not be expected to fully accept the NEPAD overnight," he said, adding that more and more leaders would eventually become persuaded to its merits.

Kwamena Bartels, minister of Private Sector Development of Ghana, also complained at the press conference that some African leaders have not yet delivered their commitment to the NEPAD projects and the Peer Review Mechanism due to governance transparency they have to face in the way ahead.

Nkuhlu said that the African Peer Review mechanism is now in place and Ghana is expected to be the first country to be subjected to the review mechanism.

The ongoing three-day Africa Economic Summit, which opened here Wednesday, focuses on action for Africa's ambitious renaissance plan.

President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Joaquim Alberto Chissanoof Mozambique, Marc Ravalomanana of Madagascar and other two African leaders are to address the three-day summit, according to the program.

More than 650 participants, including 450 business leaders and 75 public figures and regional leaders, from 40 countries gathered here to voice their views on the main theme of the summit "Harnessing the Power of Partnership".

The summit focuses particularly on moving NEPAD forward by exploring how business can make available the skills and technology needed to bridge gaps in capacity, resources and expertise.

Other key themes of the summit include Africa's reintegration into the global economy, fighting back against the ravages of HIV/AIDS, small and medium-sized enterprise development and bridging the digital divide through education.

The Durban meeting aims at finding a blueprint for so-called "African Tiger Economies" reintegration into the global economy, bridging the digital divide and fighting the scourge of AIDS, the WEF statement says.

The European Union pledged some one billion dollars a year to fight AIDS in Africa in response to a recent announcement by US President George W. Bush of 15 billion dollars over five years to combat the pandemic on the continent and in the Caribbean.

Questions?Comments? Click here

International Bank Group Signs Loan Agreements with African Countries

Brazil, India and South Africa Forge Strategic Alliance

Africa Is Moving Forward: Mbeki

Efforts Urged to Frame China's Long-time Plan on Science,Technology ( 7 Messages)

Global Warming Troubles Qinghai-Tibet Railway Construction ( 7 Messages)

US Planning Historic Shift of Military Power Abroad: Report ( 26 Messages)

'Haven't got lost!': China's 1st SARS Patient out of Shadow ( 3 Messages)

Hu, Bush Pledge to Further Develop Constructive Ties of Cooperation ( 6 Messages)

G8 Meeting Urged to Highlight Water Issue in Africa ( 9 Messages)