MUTARE – United Nations has said that African nations need helping hands more than hand outs to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
A UN Economic Commission for Africa report on Millennium Development Goals “Assessing Progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals” said there was need to address root cause of poverty, unemployment and socio-economic ills bedeviling the continent.
It said global developmental agendas will succeed if underpinned by a strategic plan which looks at issues holistically.
The report is a joint product of the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) of the United Nations, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Development Programme-Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP-RBA). It is cosigned by four high ranking officials namely, Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma Chairperson, African Union Commission, Carlos Lopes United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA, Akinwumi A. Adesina President, African Development Bank Group and Helen Clark Administrator, United Nations Development Programme.
“Sustainability requires addressing the root causes, not the symptoms of underdevelopment. Donor support is more likely to result in sustainable development if it focuses on giving Africa a “helping hand” rather than a “handout”.
“Global development agendas are likely to succeed if they are underpinned by a credible and committed means of implementation that takes into account both financial and non-financial resources. The lack of these means rendered the implementation of the MDGs vulnerable to resource shortfalls,” notes the report.
The report further states that while there has been notable economic development in most African nations, underpinned by mining and increasing productivity, it has not been inclusive.
“Africa’s productivity, as measured by output per person employed, is on the rise. Poverty is falling, albeit slow, with a real risk of reversals from shocks.
“Africa’s growth has been relatively strong but not rapid or inclusive enough to create adequate decent employment opportunities,” states the report.
In Zimbabwe the situation is particularly graphic as unemployment has peaked at 90%, with economists saying the economy is an enclave, for failing to recognize the informal sector.
The report also states that African development is reliant on mining of minerals which have largely contributed to growth.
“Extractive industries, particularly minerals, oil and gas have accounted for the largest share of Africa’s growth. This has led to improvements in some areas, but these have not been sufficient or inclusive enough to provide decent job opportunities for the majority of the labour force,” it notes.
