Scenario 3: Sustainable Development Occurs

Sustainable development takes place in Africa.  Intervening bodies such as IMF, World Bank, WTO, etc, focus their attention on one common plan of action, the agenda of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and implement it. The NEPAD is a program of the African Union that acts as a “strategic framework for Africa’s renewal” made up of African leaders.

All committed parties agree on a strategic plan and execute each step deliberately and collectively.  IGOs provide support (financially and technologically) to the NEPAD, insure and assist with implementation, and supervise these efforts.  It is crucial that all parties involved are on-board and committed to change while holding each other accountable to that commitment.

Based on the current priorities of the NEPAD, increased investment and policy reform takes place in the following sectors: "Agriculture;  Human development with a focus on health, education, science and technology and skills development;  Building and improving infrastructure, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation;  Promoting diversification of production and exports, particularly with respect to agro-industries, manufacturing, mining, mineral beneficiation and tourism;  Accelerating intra-African trade and improving access to markets of developed countries;  The environment."

Initially, economic and social reforms are at the top of the agenda.  It has been suggested that it is impossible to implement all three aspects of sustainable development at once partially because economic development leads to resource depletion and environmental damage, sometimes that is even beneficial and acceptable to further economic development.  Therefore, the development that initially occurs is not ecologically sustainable, but as development continues, environmental efforts become a point of focus.

Ultimately, this leads to a massive reduction in poverty and increased trade among African nations and Africa with the world. The environment of Africa would be spared and possibly even utilized for tourism by Westerners as an extra source of income for the African nations.