The plan of action

NEPAD is essentially a catalyzing, coordinating, mobilizing, unblocking and energizing agent.

The NEPAD founding document makes it very clear that it is national governments and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that must drive the socio-economic renewal agenda. The continental programme provides mainly a vision and a policy framework for igniting a movement to consolidate democracy and good governance throughout the continent. It covers eight priority areas, namely:

•  Political, Economic & Corporate Governance  ;

•  Agriculture ;

•  Infrastructure;

•  Education;

•  Health;

•  Science & Technology;

•  Market Access, and Tourism; and

•  Environment

In the strategic framework and key sectoral priority programmes developed through NEPAD, agriculture, infrastructure, science and technology, and regional economic integration, which were not among top priorities of the development agenda of Africa's development partners, have now taken centre stage.

NEPAD is presently in the implementation phase, and national governments are expected to implement NEPAD programmes along the following lines:

• Deepening ownership, promoting self-reliant development and strengthening leadership at national level through the internalization of NEPAD values and principles;
• Establishment of NEPAD focal points (persons and institutions) to deepen ownership and the mainstreaming of national NEPAD programmes based on the generic key sectoral programmes developed by NEPAD;
• Accelerating the adoption of NEPAD programmes as frameworks and guidelines for national development plans, such as PRSPs;
• Ensuring that each country is in a position to take full advantage of international support mobilized by NEPAD;
• Complying with major AU and REC resolutions linked to the implementation of NEPAD;
• Deepening engagement with the private sector and civil society in the development and implementation of NEPAD programmes; and
• Committing adequate resources to the implementation of NEPAD priority programmes.