Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the regional arm of the United Nations in Africa, the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA) is faced with the challenge of conforming to the broader
agenda of its mother body while it simultaneously strives to be seen to devise solutions
that are unique to Africa's development needs. This means that the ECA needs to find a
way of striking a balance between the demands of international development trends and
the viability of such trends for Africa.
The United Nations, similarly to other influential multilateral institutions like the World
Bank, has moved into the 21st century with the 'partnerships approach' to development.
The central idea behind these partnerships is that of promoting active participation
between the state, the private sector and civil society in contributing towards
development. What this means, therefore, is that development is no longer viewed as the
sole responsibility of the state, but rather calls for a closer working relationship between
these three sectors. Given the fact that these sectors are at different levels of
development in many African countries, with some countries not even having an active
civil society, private sector or even a strong state, the ECA has to make sense of what
exactly partnerships mean for Africa.
This study is based on an understanding that if the ECA wishes to have an impact on the
African continent, it will have to engage its Member States in order to develop a common
idea and approach to the conceptualisation and implementation of partnerships in Africa.
In light of this background, this study focuses on South Africa as a Member State of the
ECA and one of a few countries that have a strong civil society and developed private
sector. What is also significant about South Africa is the fact that a number of significant
initiatives that involve both state and non-state actors have been evident in the period
since the first democratic elections of 1994, thus allowing for an informed response from
representatives of the different sectors. A South African response has thus been compiled from the six interviews that were conducted, two with representatives from each of the
three sectors.
Following from the responses, the study makes recommendations as to how the ECA can
playa leading role in promoting partnerships in Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Verenigde Nasies se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika (EKA), 'n
streeksvertakking van die Verenigde Nasies in Afrika, staan gedurig voor die
uitdaging om te konformeer met die breër agenda van die moederorganisasie, maar
streef terselfdertyd daarna om spesifieke antwoorde te vind vir Afrika se unieke
ontwikkelingsbehoeftes. Dit beteken dat die EKA 'n middeweg tussen die eise van
internasionale ontwikkelingstendense en die toepaslikheid daarvan in Afrika moet
vind.
Net soos die Wêreldbank en ander invloedryke internasionale instansies, is die
Verenigde Nasies se benadering tot ontwikkeling in die een en twintigste eeu geskoei
op 'n vennootskapsbasis. Die onderliggende oogmerk van dié benadering is die
aanmoediging van aktiewe bydraes tot ontwikkeling deur die staat, privaatsektor en
burgerlike samelewing. Derhalwe beteken dit dat ontwikkeling nie meer gesien word
as die uitsluitlike verantwoordelikheid van die staat nie, maar eerder as 'n funksie van
samewerking tussen die drie bogenoemde sektore. Aangesien baie Afrika state hulself
op verskillende vlakke van ontwikkeling bevind, tesame met die feit dat sommige nie
oor 'n aktiewe burgerlike samelewing, private sektor, of selfs 'n sterk staat beskik nie,
is dit die taak van die EKA om gestalte te gee aan die konsep van 'vennootskappe'
binne 'n Afrika konteks.
Hierdie studie gaan uit vanaf die standpunt dat die EKA alleenlik 'n impak sal hê as
lidstate betrek word om 'n gemeenskaplike verstandhouding en benadering tot die
konsepsualisering en implimentering van vennootskappe in Afrika te ontwikkel. In
die lig van bogenoemde, fokus die studie op Suid-Afrika, as EKA lidstaat en een van
'n paar Afrika state met 'n sterk burgerlike samelewing en goed ontwikkelde
privaatsektor. 'n Verdere belangrike dimensie in die geval van Suid-Afrika, is die
aantal belangrike inisiatiewe wat gesamentlik tussen staats- en nie-staatsinstansies
sedert 1994 aangepak is. Hierdie inisiatiewe het verseker dat verteenwoordigers van
alle sektore 'n ingeligte benadering tot besluite rakende die ontwikkeling van die
streek kon volg. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie projek is ses onderhoude gevoer -
twee per sektor - ten einde 'n beter begrip te kry van die land se benadering tot
vennootskappe in diens van ontwikkeling. As 'n uitvloeisel van hierdie studie, word 'n aantal aanbevelings gemaak oor hoe die
EKA 'n leidende rol kan speel in die aanmoediging van vennootskappe in Afrika.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52461 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ngwenya, Nomfundo Xenia |
| Contributors | Nel, Philip R., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 71 pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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