Author: Dimpho Motsamai, Siphamandla Zondi.

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was established in 2001 as the socioeconomic programme for Africa to address the challenges of continued marginalisation of Africa in the global political economy. Its primary objectives are the eradication of poverty and the promotion of socio-economic development. To this end, NEPAD Action Plans were drafted, outlining specifi c focal areas and programmes necessary to meet NEPAD objectives. In summary, the Action Plans are in three parts: the fi rst addresses the political and economic preconditions for the NEPAD programme to work; the second outlines ‘sectoral’ priority areas that need intervention; and the third focuses on resource mobilisation to support the implementation of NEPAD projects.1 NEPAD also sought to galvanise African countries to work together in pursuit of democracy and good political governance, as well as economic and corporate governance.2 However, the focus in scholarly writings and policy debates has been on NEPAD as an economic development plan, thus overlooking the social dimensions of the programme. Many even criticize NEPAD for ignoring social crises facing Africa, including social exclusion and disintegration of communities. This paper maintains that NEPAD does provide a framework for social policy interventions in Africa. It argues that these social aspects of NEPAD are generally neglected in discussions about NEPAD as a socio-economic programme for Africa because NEPAD offi cials, being primarily economists, have been more successful in selling its economic messages than its social initiatives. The social dimensions of NEPAD are not as explicit as the economic and political facets outlined in the Action Plans.