Analysis of how development, in different sectors, has happened over the last 50 years in order establish viable development trends and domains (VDDs), within specific countries and regions, as a basis for strategic investments and best-bet development options.
Component I is aimed at diagnosing social-economic trends in Africa, such as, economic growth, agricultural and food systems, poverty reduction, public and private investments, foreign direct investments, political systems, regional and international trade, regional and continental integration, and cultural systems over the last 50 years, in order to respond to key policy questions such as:
- What are the challenges and opportunities identifiable in these trends?
- How can these trends be used to define the ““present”” Africa and to envision a future Africa?
- How can African countries build on the opportunities to overcome the challenges?
- What are the optimal regional integration paths for the different regions?
- What new innovations, based on current trends, can trigger new rates of development?
- What new research needs to be undertaken to expedite the proposed innovations?
- What new policy incentives are required to accompany the envisioned change?
- Who are the movers and shakers that will make things happen?
- How can these findings be packaged to stimulate local and international financial support?
This component involves three main activities:
- Identification of a minimum set of baseline development indicators for each sector and defining the interrelationships
- Reviewing national and regional and continental development trends over the last 50 years using the indicators identified
- Identifying best-bet development policy and investment options by creating a common method for assessing country progress towards allocating a growing share of budgets to the development sector, and changes in the levels and composition of government and donor spending. New targets and allocation of funds will be proposed along with accompanying policy triggers.