A Philosophical Critique of New Partnership for Africa’s Development

Abstract

The state paradigm is imperiled in Africa so much that there are whispers in Western capitals and among disillusioned Africans whether surrender of these fragile sovereignties to their former imperial powers would not be a viable option. The continent’s security challenges and the concomitant political fragility of most African States add to the development crisis plaguing the continent today. New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was established in order to tackle African developmental crisis and make African States economically buoyant to the extent that their sovereignty will be represented more by sovereign will and might than by sovereign emblems. This paper argues that the theoretical assumptions of NEPAD are misconceived and subjects them to an unremitting philosophical critique. In doing so, the paper re-conceptualizes the fundamentals of NEPAD in the light of African Socio-political milieu and interests and points out the path not taken which, if taken, would put African States in economically viable and competitive status. The paper concludes that no development paradigm will lift African states from the extant economic dependency on the Western and Asian economies if it is not driven by the exigencies of African Socio-political milieu and interests.

Keywords: Africa, Crisis, Critique, Partnership, Development, Philosophy.