Sustainable development outlook for Africa

Abstract

This two-part paper attempts to address some of the questions that are specifically related to the environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Part 1 of the paper, which focuses on the sub-theme "Reflections on Sustainable Development in Africa", addresses the following three main questions: (a) What is sustainable development and its relevance to Africa?; (b) What role has regional and international cooperation played in assisting African countries to move towards environmental sustainability?; and (c) Does the current status of the major ecological systems associated with economic growth in Africa reflect a hopeful sign of greater integration of environmental sustainability into the development process? Part 2 of the paper focuses on the sub-theme "Outlook for Environmental Sustainability". It specifically covers the following questions: What choices will Africa face in future in terms of sustainable development and trends in demand and supply of economically important natural products from Africa? How can Africa move closer to the path of sustainable development?