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Good Governance Can Foster Growth of NEPAD

1 July 2004

"Ethics and moral values are central to good governance."

Professor Adebayo Adedeji, Executive Director of the African Centre for Development and Strategic Studies, has said good governance by the public services can help achieve the goals of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Speaking at the opening of the Commonwealth Consultative Meeting on NEPAD held on 22-24 June 2004 at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, he stated: "Ethics and moral values are central to good governance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to resuscitate the well-tested public service values and managerial culture of economy, honesty, reliability, equality, openness and effectiveness."

Professor Adedeji, who is also a member of the African Peer Review Mechanism Panel of Eminent Persons, noted that African public services that are accountable, efficient, effective and incorruptible, will contribute to the realisation of NEPAD. "The kind of government which is in power in a country, the quality of its leadership, its vision and integrity and its commitment to the promotion of the common good, determines the kind of civil service a country has."

In a paper presented at the meeting, Dr M J Balogun, Inter-Regional Adviser of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, stated that peace and security impact on the NEPAD framework. He said:"Civil strife not only leads to the destruction of assets including the infrastructure that is critical to the realisation of NEPAD objectives, but also diverts resources from asset-building to combat operations, and ultimately to emergency relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation. To this end, it is essential that the conflicts that have erupted in different countries be quickly settled and long-lasting solutions be found to enduring governance and state construction questions." 

Professor Gelase Mutahaba, Chief Technical Adviser at the President's Office, United Republic of Tanzania, stressed that efforts must be made to achieve good governance, democratisation and development.

"Success cases in African transitions to democracy are partly influenced by having in place public service systems which are moving towards meeting customer needs, accountability, equity and stakeholders' participation," said Professor Mutahaba.

"The challenge lies in sifting through reform ideas that are often generated in stable administrative systems and adapting them to the fluid environments in which African public service systems operate."

During the consultative meeting, more than 40 delegates -- comprising ministers, heads of Commonwealth civil services, cabinet secretaries and representatives of African regional organisations and international development agencies --  agreed on the crucial and urgent need for the mainstreaming of NEPAD into local, national and regional development programmes.

They recognised the need for an enabling environment for public service officials to function effectively in implementing NEPAD to promote growth and sustainable development in Africa. The delegates noted the importance of political will and leadership to galvanise support, ownership and implementation. They agreed that effective leadership development programmes, innovative awards and equal opportunity systems and improved conditions of service enhanced by knowledge and competency-building initiatives would enhance NEPAD's objectives.