Africa’s Transformation From Underdevelopment To Development: The Impact of New Partnership For Africa’s Development (NEPAD)

Abstract

This study is an exposition of Africa’s transformation from underdevelopment to development, within the context of the new partnership for Africa’s development (NEPAD). It is a universally accepted fact that most countries are linked into some kind of world system mostly unequal in relationship. It is for this fact that core Marxists such as W. Rodney, C. Ake, A.G. Frank, J. Ihonvbere, S. Amin etc., argue that the contact with the forces of western imperialism did not only distort, disarticulate and underdevelop the African continent, it also ensured that it is structured and incorporated into peripheralism; as well as confined into the international division of labour. Using the concept of development of underdevelopment by Andre Gunder Frank, the work points out that the whole gamut of underdevelopment of Africa, was masterminded by the European imperialists. The findings strongly establish that the impoverishment of Africa is caused by colonialism. Hence, the study holds the view that Africa can only be developed by Africans and not Europeans.