Africans' plan offers hope after false dawn

ANALYSIS/PARTNERSHIP: Leaders of the developed world will gather this month in the comfortable surroundings of Kananaskis in Canada. Again, the agenda at the Group of Eight (G8) summit will include the problem of Africa's continuing economic and human crisis. Cynics are already foreseeing a talking shop dispensing nothing more than platitudes to the hungry millions. But there are real reasons to hope this meeting will be different.

The opportunity springs from an initiative established and led by Africans themselves. The New Partnership for Africa's Development is the most serious and credible effort so far by African leaders to take control of their continent's destiny. Inspired by the vision of Mr Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, of an "African renaissance", the partnership focuses on reform and trade rather than aid. This fact alone offers genuine hope after so many false dawns.

The G8's response to it will be important in helping Africa to help itself but it is not decisive. The key to Africa's development ultimately lies in its own hands and in its ability to prove to investors and governments worldwide that it is committed to permanent change. While the politicians will create the environment for change, it is business investment that will anchor it in place. But first, business needs to be convinced that the risks are acceptable.

I say this as a friend of Africa and as the head of a company that has been in Africa almost as long as it has been in business. Like other investors, Unilever has a commercial interest in Africa being healthy, economically vibrant and integrated with the rest of the world. Yet the human tragedy of Africa is continuing to unfold on an immense scale.

What can the G8 do? A lot. For all their talk of development, Western nations in effect exclude many African exports from their markets. It gives me no pleasure to say that the European Union is a prime offender, in spite of its laudable "Everything But Arms" initiative. The US is equally culpable.

Fine words about a Doha development round ring hollow and appear cynical in the face of foot-dragging on reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and the US farm bill, which further entrenches protectionism. The consequences for Africa are literally a matter of life and death.

Developed countries must now apply the spirit of Doha as they committed themselves to do in the recent ministerial communiqué by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The starting-point must be coherent trade and development policies, enabling fair access to Western markets.

Yet the question is not just what the West can do for Africa but what Africa can do for itself. This is where the partnership is so encouraging. With the partnership, Africa is challenging itself to develop the political and social infrastructure necessary to re- assure the international companies that will ultimately provide the bulk of the desperately needed investment.

That means African governments investing in good governance and human rights, in education and health, in sustainable agriculture, and in those areas neglected in favour of grandiose - and corruption-riddled - industrialisation and infrastructure projects.

An African-led initiative puts even greater responsibility on the West to play its part. African governments, crippled by debt and facing daily challenges that render long-term planning impossible, will need strong financial and capacity-building help.

This will involve the West in refocusing aid on longer-term aims and poverty reduction, and in showing a willingness to extend debt-reduction programmes. It is true that more is also needed from the partnership. An important step would be the development of an action plan that supports the business case for investment.

The partnership offers a once-in-a-generation chance to end the economic and political disenfranchisement of a continent of 850 million people.

If the developed world fails to respond positively, or if Africa's leaders once again fail to follow through on their promises, the consequences will be felt far beyond Africa. And future generations will have good cause to blame us all.

Niall FitzGerald is chairman of Unilever