Africa and the Millennium Development Goals: Progress, Problems, and Prospects

This unique work by the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, tracks the progress Africa has made in achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) since 2000.

Thirteen analytical chapters written by scholars and practitioners with expertise in the various areas covered by the eight MDGs are organized around the larger themes of political economy, structural issues, sustainable goals, and human development goals. They critically assess the progress that Africa has made towards the achievement of the MDGs, discuss how to accelerate that progress, and offer alternatives and recommendations in support of institutions in Africa that are engaged in promoting the achievement of sustainable development. Throughout, they examine the role of various actors (including the African Union; Africa’s regional economic communities, the United Nations, the European Union, etc.), civil society, and other external development partners in light of their contributions, shortfalls, and viable options in shaping the continent’s development agenda. Together they provide a unique assessment from experts on the ground of whether the goals were a success and what remains to be done to achieve sustainable economic and human development in Africa.

Editors:
Charles Mutasa is an independent development policy consultant. He served as Deputy Presiding Officer of the first African Union-Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Bureau, and as vice-president of the African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) between 2005 and 2008. He was the former Executive Director of the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD).

Mark Paterson is a former Senior Project Officer at the Centre for Conflict Resolution in Cape Town. He previously worked as a journalist and as a media and branding executive in South Africa, Britain, and China.

Contributors:
Ademola Abass, Head of the African Centre for Peace and Security Training at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Visiting Lecturer to the War Studies Department, King’s College, London. Former Head of Peace and Security and Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS) in Belgium.

Maureen Adudans, Regional HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) Advisor at the MDG Centre, East and Southern Africa, Columbia Global Centres – Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.

Agbessi Amouzou, Assistant Scientist at the Centre for Global Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, U.S.

Saliem Fakir, Head of the Living Planet Unit at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) South Africa in Cape Town. Served as Associate Director for the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, University of Stellenbosch, and Director of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN-SA) office.

Manisha Gulati, Energy Economist at the Living Planet Unit at the World Wildlife Fund South Africa in Cape Town.

Adele Jinadu, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria and Executive Director of the Centre for Advanced Social Science (CASS) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

James O.C. Jonah was the Minister of Finance, Development, and Economic Planning of Sierra Leone, before serving as Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations and United Nations (UN) Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs. Also a Senior Fellow at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at the City University of New York Graduate Centre.

Mbaya Kankwenda, Chief Executive Officer of the Congolese Institute for Development Research and Strategic Studies (ICREDES) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Development Research and Strategic Studies on Africa, Montreal.

Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo, Professor, the School of Women and Gender Studies, Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Previously Chairperson of the Uganda Women’s Network and a board member of the Eastern Africa Sub-Regional Initiative for the Advancement of Women.

Zanele Khumalo, Administrative Coordinator of Gender Reconciliation International (GRI) in South Africa.

Dan Kuwali, Deputy Chief of Legal Services in the Malawi Defence Force.

Francis Mkandawire, Executive Secretary of the Malawi National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Richard Mkandawire, Vice-President of the Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP). As the Senior Advisor to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), he led the conceptualisation and implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Antonia Porter, International Programme Officer for Gender Reconciliation International in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mandivamba Rukuni, Founder and Trustee of the Barefoot Education Trust for Afrika (BEAT), he served as lead advisor to the government of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Bank for the National Land Audit for Zimbabwe. He was Professor of Agricultural Economics and Dean of Agriculture at the University of Zimbabwe.

Louise Scholtz, Manager: Special Projects at the Living Planet Unit at the World Wildlife Fund South Africa in Cape Town.