The APP Bulletin

Africa is rising and African economies are growing faster than those of almost any other region in the world. However, the current pattern of trickle-down growth is not benefitting many people stuck in a spiral of poverty. Indeed, benefits measured by poverty reduction, maternal mortality and childhood survival fall far short of what Africans have a right to expect.

Last week’s Guardian news story on UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s role in a post 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) committee, highlighted the importance of making a no-holds-barred push to meet the current MDG targets, in Africa and elsewhere. While many African countries have registered significant advances during the past decade, overall the continent will miss 2015 goals by a wide margin at the current rate.

Deepening and consolidating the democratic transformations taking place in Africa, as well as strengthening regional and global governance arrangements, remain key challenges for African countries. As two recent developments in West Africa demonstrate, the prospect of collapse remains an ever-present threat, even in countries deemed to be role models in the practice of democracy. Some believe that this is consistent with American political scientist Larry Diamond’s thesis that democracy is receding around the world.

Many may argue that the appointment of Christine Lagarde to head the IMF is a triumph for women’s equality.  And although we are yet to see what will substantively change with a woman in charge, the debate on how women can compete with men and how they make a difference has flourished.  Time Magazine even published an article entitled “Why Women are Better at Everything. “ This is all very exciting and surely a provocative piece to stir the debate.

In North Africa they tweet and facebook to unite against autocrats while in other countries, their frustrations are simmering. In Benin they stood for hours in the scorching heat to cast their ballots to elect the candidate they believed would bring change. In Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa and other countries, they seize opportunities to bring new ideas to the table and stimulate political debate for better management of the economy. Today, Africa’s youth are anything but expendable in the process of development.

Since 2000 dramatic scenes have become regular occurrences in Cote d’Ivoire. Previously considered the jewel of West Africa, the country has had 7 years of a government of national unity (since 2003), 7 years of a peacekeeping presence in the country, 7 postponed elections (between 2000-2010) and there have been 4 months of intense political stand-off. Over the last week, the crisis has finally reached a tipping point.

Elections have recently been held in several African countries. On the surface, this appears good news indeed. Even though postponed seven times, Cote d’Ivoire’s first election since the civil war has seen most of the country turn out to vote. The first democratic election in Guinea is giving the country the chance to put its coup-ridden history behind it and start afresh. And in both Tanzania and the Comoros, the well-run elections are encouraging signs of democratic consolidation.

The MDG Summit is finally upon us. Will it trigger accelerated progress towards the goals? Or, as some fear, will it consist of grand statements and repackaged financial commitments but little 'real' new investment?

To what degree are African priorities and concerns reflected in global agreements and policies? Not nearly enough, most would say, whether in trade, finance, food security, climate change, intellectual property, migration, security or other areas. Is Africa to blame for this deficit? No. The IFIs and various economic and financial global fora have been crafted by, and for, the powerful. The emergence of the G20 is not necessarily going to help LDCs; it might even do the opposite. Big emerging economies, including South Africa, have their own interests.

Is the international consensus around Africa’s development in danger of crumbling? The last decade has seen remarkable achievements including the Millennium Declaration and mobilization around the MDGs, Monterrey, the creation of the Global Fund and GAVI, the campaigns for debt relief and to double ODA to Africa, and a consistent focus on Africa by rich countries, including the G8.

Most people agree that economic growth depends upon a vibrant private sector. But when it comes to Africa, there remains a degree of schizophrenia about the role of business.

Overshadowed by the media coverage of the G20 Summit, the OECD has released its annual figures on net ODA as provided by its 22 country Development Assistance Committee (DAC).

The proliferation of Gs is bewildering, but in fact may be a sign of health, as the world struggles to find governance structures which are both effective in terms of economic clout and have the political legitimacy to tackle the multiple crises before us.