Can the New Partnership of Africa’s Development Transform Africa Through Global Partnership?

Abstract

The most recent endeavour to address Africa’s development at the continental and international level is the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), after several international initiatives in the past were never put into practice.  NEPAD proclaims its motivation and authenticity from the concept of the African Renaissance.  This article tries to find both the positive and not so positive aspects of NEPAD in the hope that a critical inquiry would help clarify some of the concerns fundamental to this initiative.  In part, this article reviews development efforts in the past to highlight the challenges facing NEPAD.  Three issues surface from this article.  First, where is the money going to come from for this ambitious project promoted by some of the major political leaders of Africa?  To what extent is NEPAD owned by Africa?  What should Africa do to help the West to help Africa?  Towards the end, the article provides a brief case f Tanzania’s debt relief strategy as the latest component in Africa’s new partnership with the West highlighting the weakness of NEPAD’s expectation on Africa’s debt relief.