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Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and
Corporate Governance
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4. Socio-Economic Development
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- We believe that poverty can only be effectively tackled through the promotion of:
- democracy, good governance, peace and security;
- the development of human and physical resources;
- gender equality;
- openness to international trade and investment;
- allocation of appropriate funds to social sector and ;
- new partnerships between governments and the private sector, and with civil society.
- We reaffirm our conviction that the development of Africa is ultimately the responsibility of Africans themselves. Africa’s development begins with the quality of its human resources. We, therefore, undertake to work towards the enhancement of our human resources through the provision of more and better education and training, especially in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and other skills central to a globalising world; and better health
care, with priority attention to addressing HIV/AIDS and other pandemic diseases.
- The marginalisation of women remains real despite the progress of recent years. We will, therefore, work with renewed vigour to ensure gender equality and ensure their full and effective integration of women in political and socioeconomic development.
- Globalisation and liberalisation does not mean that there should be no role for government in socio-economic development. It only means a different type of government. We, therefore, undertake to foster new partnerships between
government and the private sector; a new division of labour in which the private sector will be the veritable engine of economic growth, while governments concentrate on the development of infrastructure and the creation of a macroeconomic environment. This includes expanding and enhancing the quality of human resources and providing the appropriate institutional framework to guide
the formulation and execution of economic policy.
- The regional economic communities remain the building blocks for Africa’s economic integration. We will, therefore, continue to strengthen them in every way practicable and to relate their evolution more closely to the development of the African Union.
- We welcome the strong international interest in and support for NEPAD. It is our intention to build on this promising foundation, working with our development partners and the wider international community to:
- forge new forms of international co-operation in which the benefits of globalisation are more evenly shared;
- create a stable international economic environment in which African countries can achieve growth through greater market access for their exports; the
removal of trade barriers, especially non-tariff barriers and other forms of protectionism; increased flows of direct foreign investment; debt cancellation; a meaningful increase in ODA; and the diversification of their economies.
Africa’s prosperity will be a multiplier in world prosperity.
- NEPAD is founded on a hardheaded assessment of the political and socioeconomic realities in Africa today. We do not, therefore, underestimate the challenges involved in achieving NEPAD’s objectives, but we share a common resolution to work together even more closely in order to end poverty on the continent and to restore Africa to a place of dignity in the family of nations.
- No African country is a replica of another and no African society is a mirror image of another. However, we believe that the variety within our oneness can be enriching. It is part of the purpose of this Declaration to mobilise all those enriching qualities to build African unity, in respect of the specific of our countries.
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