A theoretical overview of African development strategy and an institutional mechanism for creation of common market for modernization and growth

Abstract

"The Lagos Plan of Action (LPA) established as a primary objective the alleviation of mass poverty and improvement in the standard of living of the African people. Secondly, the concept of self-sustained development was taken as essential in view of its relation to the first objective, especially as regards such basic targets as attainment of food self-sufficiency, provision of critical goods and services, etc. Thirdly, while the LPA acknowledged the interdependence of the economies of the world, there was a realization that the balkanization of Africa necessitated the pursuance of the objective of national and regional collective self-reliance... Unfortunately, the intensification of the economic crisis in Africa in the early 1980s, the approach of LPA was in many cases abandoned as the main preoccupation of most African policy makers increasingly became crisis management for economic survival.