(PDF) Civil Society, Democracy and Good Governance in Africa

PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY AND GOOD
GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA IS NOT A PANACEA TO
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES AND
MARGINALIZATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL
SYSTEM

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
African scenario ..........................................................................................................................1
Past scenario of African democracy............................................................................................1
Developmental challenges to African continent .........................................................................2
Results..........................................................................................................................................4
Relationship between promotion of democracy with good governance and challenges.............5
Impact of marginalization of African continent in the international system...............................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Democracy is a government system where citizens vote to choose their leader. Then that
leader run whole country and recognized as one of the powerful man of country. Good
governance refers to a process where government manages resources, policies and solves public
conflicts. In simple way, it is a system to take decisions on behalf of public and make a
cooperative environment. They deal with international, national and state consequences. Africa is
second largest continent in world. It has approx 54 countries and 9 territories. Before democratic
country, it is realized as one of the backward continents. But with the rise in growth of
democracy and governance, it is realized as one of the most emerging continent.
This essay is about democracy and good governance in Africa is not a panacea for
meeting challenges and marginalization on international basis. Some challenges are discussed in
this essay which explains that democracy and good governance both are not a solution to
challenges and marginalization. Other sectors are need to considered for have social economic
development.
MAIN BODY
African scenario
Africa is the second largest continent. It covers almost 6 % of area of the Earth and 20%
land area. It includes 16% of world population. This Continent is in between Mediterranean sea,
isthmus of Suez, Red sea, Indian ocean and Atlantic ocean. African continent has 54 countries
and 9 territories (Makinda, Okumu and Mickler, 2015).
African union was formed on 2001. Constitutive act is adopted by African continent to
change African economy. It has parliamentary government which includes legislative, executive
and judicial. African Union Government is lead by the President and head of the state. Political
associations hopes from African counties to have peace and humans have free rights to oversee
them. Some violations happened in African countries like Liberia, Zimbabwe and Cote dlvoire.
These violations are barriers to challenges and marginalisation to stand up in international
market.
Past scenario of African democracy
Democracy is implemented in Africa in 1990s lead to positive outcomes. In south Africa,
it is started in 1994 and lead to expansion in political space in more than one parties of state. In
past times, multiracial elections held but it does not result in successful outcomes in democracy.
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In Kenya, 2007 elections make violence in country which leads to many deaths (Diamond,
2015). It has been resulted to a statement that democracy needs more than multiparty elections. It
is not efficient as compared to other international countries. Overall with all these experiments
which are made in Africa to overcome such problems that are faced by citizens of Africa.
Leaders commented that this type of democracy will not be long lasting and lead to so much
violence and results in many deaths. In this, people do not have rights to exercise their choice, do
not have freedom to chose a leader on their of a choice. People are so much conscious to their
thinking power because of partiality and inequality. It makes them depressed and resulted in bad
governance in Africa.
Developmental challenges to African continent
Every country is facing challenges to have existence in world and Africa is one of it.
Main challenge is to eradicate and to foster development of social and economic conditions. A
constitutive act is introduced in 2000 to overcome challenges that are being raised and
highlighted in country.
Again in 2003, an African Peer review Mechanism (APRM) for cooperating new spirit,
accountability and transparency to have better outcomes of national governance. Since
establishment of this mechanism, a better governance is achieved. A review is made on
government policies under this mechanism. It identifies weakness and replaces them with the
best policies to win the challenges that country is facing. It introduces some tools and methods
for development and to rectify the weaker areas. Public participation is necessary in making
decisions effective and efficient. Industries are main sectors of every country. So, country
economy depends on their profitability. Their import and export market influence the
performance. There should be more export market rather than import market. It needs active
participation of different shareholders present in different industries. It improves the quality and
makes sustainable development. Industries from low level to high level lead in social economic
development.
After implementing APRM and within 13 years, it has been analyzed that government is
running good and pursuing consistent agenda in systematic manner. APRM has been evaluated
as the best continental effort in Africa to have good agenda of governance in real presence. One
of the factor is corruption and it is becoming challenging task in front of APRM to overcome
this. So may conflicts held between citizens of country regarding corruption issue. Traditional
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