NEPAD: New Partnership for Africa’s Development

NEPAD is an economic development programme developed by the African Union (AU). It was formed at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia.

It aims to provide a frame work for speeding up economic cooperation and integration among African countries. The founding member states were Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.

NEPAD Priorities

The eight priority areas of NEPAD are:

– Political – economic corporate governance
– Agriculture – infrastructure
– Education – health
– Science and technology – market access and tourism
Environment

Structure of NEPAD

Assembly of Africa Union
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Heads of state and government implementation committee
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Steering committee
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Secretariat
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National NEPAD Structures
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NEPAD council

Heads of State and Government implementation Committee

• It provide leadership to NEPAD: It sets policies and programmes of action
• It is mandated to develop a strategic plan for marketing and communications at the national, regional, continental and international level
• It report annually to the African Union Summit

Steering committee

• The committee is made up of 20 AU. It is tasked with the development of the terms of reference for identified programmes and projects.

Secretariat

• It is located in South Africa.
• It coordinates the administrative and logistical function for NEPAD
• Many individual African states have also established National NEPAD structures responsible for coordinating initiatives on economic reform and development programmes.

NEPAD council

• The NEPAD council is a non-political and non-profit organization (NGO) founded by the young African professional and scholars to support NEPAD to achieve its mission.
• The council’s mission is to initiate global action and mobilize resources and that will help NEPAD to meet its objectives.

NEPAD’S primary objectives are:

1. Eradicate poverty
2. Promoting sustainable growth and development
3. Accelerating the empowerment of women
4. Fully integrating Africa into the global economy