In the Heat of Africa's Underdevelopment : Africa at the Crossroads - Time to Deliver

The ever growing disparity in living standards between the developed and developing polities constitutes a striking feature of life on Planet Earth. This publication is an attempt to highlight some of the factors dividing the worlds apart. A new North-South synergy is needed in creating a balanced world at peace with itself. As long as more than half-the population of the world go to bed hungry there can be no peace. A sting rich world and a sting poor world cannot cohabit peacefully. How to build a more equitable and balanced world is the challenge facing us. We need to embrace and practice our long-aged concepts of �ubuntu�, �harambee� and �batho pele� among others in creating, and consolidating the new world order. Africa is underdeveloped. It requires serious structural modification in our current mindset, thinking and actions which calls for total involvement of every citizen. The ideas advanced in this book are strategies and pathways for dealing with the problems of poverty, corruption, the distribution of power, deterrence, good governance, health, human capacity building and the challenge of bringing about a systemic structural-functional governance construct for the African continent. Cover 1 Title page 2 Copyright page 3 Acknowledgements 4 Contents 6 Preface 8 Foreword 10 Introduction - Dangerous Crossing or What? 12 Building Tomorrow’s Africa Now 19 Power generation potential for select Sub-Saharan African countries 26 The Paradox of Africa’s Democracy and Good Governance 32 Awakening Civil Society 33 The Latecomer Advantage 34 References 41 Chapter One - Africa’s curse and blessings: The mineral resource and manufacturing paradigm: An analytical, developmental and comparative perspective approach within the context of FOCAC 44 Introduction: Annexation and Plundering or Power and Benefit-Sharing 44 Africa and FOCAC: The “Blame and Reality” Theories 50 China and FOCAC: The Dragon’s Rapid Changing Structure 55 FOCAC: A Conduit for Change! 58 Courting the Beautiful Maiden – Setting the Scene 60 Resources, Investment and Trade: The Pull and Push Factors 68 Unlocking Africa’s Mineral and Manufacturing Debacles 79 The Afro-Centric, Euro-Centric or Sino-Centric” Approach 81 The SWOT “Ubuntu and Harambee” Spirit – Lessons for FOCAC 84 Preventive Precautionary Measures: Is Indigenisation the Answer? 90 Writing on the Wall – Which Script and Way? 94 Conclusion: The Absence and Search for a Holistic Compass 95 Sharpening and Respecting Africa’s Ploughshares 99 References 101 Chapter Two - Wrong education reinforces exploitation, inequality and underdevelopment: What Africa must do 108 Abstract 108 Introduction 109 Conceptual Construct –The Overarching Purpose Facing the Perils of Education Underdevelopment 114 Unlocking the human-resources potential: strategy, innovation and change 130 Quality versus Quantity 137 The scourge of unemployment: An avenue for migration 143 Conclusion: Decolonising and truimphically moving forward 145 References 147 Chapter Three - Debunking Africa’s golden age of scientific evolution: Exploiting the latecomer advantage in building the Africa we want: Opportunities, challenges and prospects 156 Abstract 156 Introduction: General overview – looking back to moving forward 157 Conceptual and analytical premises 164 Interface between Indigenous Knowledge & Science, Technology and Innovation 168 Imperative of African Co-operation – “TSHUMISANO” 173 By way of conclusion – The road ahead 180 Recommendations 185 References 186 Chapter Four - Articulating a new public sector reform: Towards enhancing governance and services delivery in Africa. Challenges and prospects 190 Abstract 190 Introduction: The search for a new way 191 People’s Governance as Prelude to Quality Services 205 Fashioning an Afro-centric approach 208 Conclusions: Shaping our future and celebrating diversity 214 Recommendations 217 References 218 Chapter Five - Repositioning Africa’s public administration within the context of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 & African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. Challenges and prospects for constructing the Africa we want. 222 Abstract: Building the Africa we want 222 Introduction: An inspired public administration at the service of the people 223 Theoretical and Conceptual Frame 225 A transformed public administration: Facing the challenges of the good, bad and ugly 229 Conclusion and recommendations: The transformation and change we need 236 Conclusion and recommendations 240 References 241 Chapter Six - Facing the challenges behind in the business race in Africa: Escaping the cross-roads of disaster and despair 244 Abstract 244 Introduction: The search for fair play and creating equal opportunities for all 245 Addressing the problems and exploiting opportunities 254 References 255 Chapter Seven - Unleashing people’s power: The promise of a new democratic revolution and evolution for Africa 258 Abstract 258 Introduction: Understanding the political dynamics of change 259 Conceptual Premises 263 Is there an emerging African lion? 270 Conclusion: Strategies and visions for the future – Hope or Despair? 276 Recommendations 282 References 283 Chapter Eight - Moving towards an integrated public governance: Improving socioeconomic aspects of migration, integration, development and poverty alleviation. Experience from Africa in light of western xenophobic attitude 286 Abstract 286 Premises of departure 287 The Way Forward 288 Introduction: The challenges faced by developing polities 289 The Green Card phenomenon 298 Envisaged actions – Shaping Africa’s future – Reversing the push factor 306 Conclusion; What does the future hold? 309 References 313 Acknowledgement 315 Chapter Nine - Unlocking Africa’s economic heart 316 Abstract 316 Introduction: Unleashing Potentials for Transformation 317 Methodological and conceptual approach 325 The relationship between Governance, Leadership and Development 327 Discussions and analysis 334 Conclusion and recommendations 343 Recommendations 345 References 346 Conclusion - Getting away from scorn: Building a new mindset and decolonising foreign policy and influence in Africa 350 Introduction 350 Where have all the powers gone in overcoming the storm? 350 The new caravan and signs of hope 366 References 369 CARAD Publications 370 Forthcoming 372 Back cover 373 The ever growing disparity in living standards between the developed and developing polities constitutes a striking feature of lifeon Planet Earth. This publication is an attempt to highlight some of the factors dividing the worlds apart. A new North-South synergy is needed in creating a balanced world at peace with itself. As long as more than half-the population of the world go to bed hungry there can beno peace. A sting rich world and a sting poor world cannot cohabit peacefully. How to build a more equitable and balanced world is the challenge facing us. We need to embrace and practice our long-aged concepts of 2018ubuntu2019, 2018harambee2019 and 2018batho pele2019 among others in creating, and consolidating the new world order. Africa is underdeveloped. It requires serious structural modification in our current mindset, thinking and actions which calls for total involvement of every citizen. The ideas advanced in this book are strategies and pathways for dealing with the problems of poverty, corruption, the distribution of power, deterrence, good governance, health, human capacity building and the challenge of bringing about a systemic structural-functional governance construct for the African continent."