Entrepreneurship and the Millennium Development Goals in the African Context

Abstract

During the last half century, the economic performance of the developing world has been far from uniform. Developing countries were polarised into those that made great progress in catching up and those that were mired in stagnation. Many African countries belong to the second group. Therefore, what could be done in order to help these countries to move from the stagnation to sustainable growth and development? During the last five decades, many attempts were explored and undertaken without any remarkable results.

In 2000, 189 states endorsed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), covering an array of targets with aspirations of reaching these goals by 2015. One year after, ironically, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a vision and strategic framework for Africa's renewal was launched as a driver for African countries to move from long severe poverty, and consequently in reaching the MDGs.

In this paper, we would like to share how economic development and cooperation among African countries, actions develop within the NEPAD strategic framework are key elements in achieving the MDGs. The first part of the paper analyses the whole vision behind the NEPAD programme, with the emphasis on the role that must play various African governments. The second part discusses the Millennium Development Goals and their targets. The third part develops the importance of trade and economic cooperation for a sustainable development in the continent. The last section focuses on the roles of various African governments to achieve the various targets developed within the Millennium Declaration.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, MDGs, Africa