Participatory Development and Governance: Africa's Special Needs (CDP Policy Note 2001)

Africa needs to take control over its own development strategy through a participatory and coordinated approach that involves a more effective mobilization and use of domestic financial and non-financial resources, the development of innovative and dynamic partnerships, and improved governance at both the national and multilateral levels. Better governance requires enhanced transparency, sound management of resources and a stable economic and regulatory environment.Recommendations on how to enhance the effectiveness of the UN system and multilateral institutions to support participatory development in Africa are discussed. These include the need to address coordination failures and the introduction of improved methods of monitoring and evaluating development programmes.