Nepad has been heralded as a new dawn for Africa. For the first time in African history, its leaders have taken collective responsibility for the future of the continent. But there is still much skepticism. Political and economic observers in Tanzania, as in other African countries, have been asking "What is so different about Nepad? Why should Nepad succeed where the African Union (AU) has failed?" Indeed, these questions are pertinent to the development of Africa, especially when one recalls the previously established regional blocks, such as SADC, Comesa, ECOWAS and the recent one - East African Community.

The commitment of African leaders has also been questioned. Analysts argue that many African leaders don't seem to care about their own people, let alone those from other countries. Previous failed attempts at regional cooperation are cited as proof that something even more ambitious, such as Nepad, has no chance of success. But the recent revival of the East African Community - comprising Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, dispels those fears. The first regional bloc attempt for East African Community, which was very elaborate, collapsed in 1977. However, leaders with African Unity vision were able to revive it and bring it onto economic and political stream last year.

On the other hand, many doubt the accountability of the Nepad venture, and fear that African presidents will not exercise the peer pressure necessary for its success. The self-interest fuelling the current conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo is frequently cited as the way things inevitably work (or rather, do not

work) on the African continent. The Zimbabwe farm crisis is another source for generalization. However, it is heavy-handed to align the future of Nepad with these depressing conflicts, each of which has its own complex origins. Furthermore, we must hope that once these crises are resolved, the governments and people of Zimbabwe and Congo will be able to contribute to, and benefit from, Nepad's success.

For the first time in African history, its leaders have taken collective responsibility for the future of the continent.

A NEW VISION
As it is described in the manifesto submitted to African leaders during their last summit, Nepad has been defined as a vision, a policy, a strategy, a plan and an organization. In some respects it is all of these. The New Partnership for African Development is a long-term vision of an African-earned and African-led development program. It is a pledge by African leaders to eradicate poverty and to place their states, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and body politics.

The Nepad policy document is a comprehensive integrated development plan that addresses key social, economic and political priorities in a coherent and balanced manner. The document was prepared by the leaders of Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa at the behest of the OAU.

The strategy was adopted by the OAU in July 2001 and endorsed by the G8 leaders the same month. The document provides a vision with clear goals, and a comprehensive strategy for Africa's sustainable development.

At the birth of the African Union (AU), Nepad was officially recognized as the economic blueprint for Africa, and was endorsed by heads of state. The highest authority of the Nepad implementation process is the Heads of States and Government Implementation Committee and it is supported by a steering committee and a secretariat responsible for its implementation.

NEPAD'S GOALS
The long-term objectives of Nepad are as follows:

• To eradicate poverty in Africa and to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development and thus halt the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process.
  


• To promote the role of women in all activities.
  


• To achieve and sustain an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of above 7 per cent per year for the next 15 years.
  


• To ensure that the continent achieves the agreed International Development Goals (IDGs), which are:
  


• To reduce the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by half between 1990 and 2015.