POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE LEGITIMISATION OF NEPAD IN
Date
2011-06-14
Authors
Setlogelo, Matthews Mosimanegape
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Abstract
There is a large body of literature on NEPAD and much of it contends that it
lacked participation and that it was a neo-liberal document which was
constructed outside of the framework of the OAU. Potential threats to the
legitimization of NEPAD in South Africa, is the subject of study and the primacy
of public participation constituted the principal focus of this research. Nonrandom,
in-depth interviews were held with research participants to test the
credibility of these claims. The outcome of this study, found that much of what is
written on the NEPAD process in South Africa, does not acknowledge the
participatory and consultative nature of the African Renaissance and neither is it
acknowledged that it formed the basis of the construction of the MAP document.
It was also established that the preparation of MAP for its tabling at the OAU, did
not involve organs of civil society due to the limitations of continental public
policy-making processes. It is recommended that the extent of popular
participation in prior processes that led to the construction of MAP and the role of
the country chapters of the African Renaissance in conducting consultations with
civil society required further research. The overall conclusion of this research
was that the legitimacy of the NEPAD document was not undermined, and that
“…it should be acknowledged that the NEPAD process was initiated by
democratically elected African leaders. Such legitimacy confers responsibility to
provide a vision for the continent” (Ohiorhenuan, 2001: 7).
Description
MM - P&DM
Keywords
NEPAD