ABSTRACT
Major statements on African development were made in the early 1990s by United Nations Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Progress in Africa was identified as being dependent on co-operation and investment in human resources. The solution to Africa’s problems would be found in debt reduction, regional integration and the diversification of economies. These main objectives could be achieved as part of patterns of co-ordination and regionalisation with national and international agencies, including the UN agencies themselves coordinating their activities. At national level there should be a strong and unified presence which facilitates inter-agency efficiency. Regional aid is preferable to bilateral aid in many areas because it follows practical requirements and need not stop at political boundaries. Water, electrification, air transport, communication, hospitals and health delivery systems all called for region-wide answers and other countries could provide training. Egypt serves as an African Training centre for nurses and police officers. Regional development banks should channel aid and donor governments could increase the capital of these banks to allow them to make more loans at concessional or non-repayable terms. Foreign aid and technical assistance should promote efforts to make African markets more attractive to domestic and foreign investment and where possible donors should mandate programmes such as regional professional training. Basic mechanisms such as customs, banking, insurance and a legal framework could not remain vague. The UN New Agenda believes that economic progress requires both access to information and an informed population (United Nations Focus on the New Agenda for Africa 1993).
