Leadership, capacity building and sustainable development in contemporary Africa, Prof. Allam Ahmed and Dr. Kobena Hanson
Prof. Allam Ahmed
University of Sussex
UK
Email: allam.ahmed@sussex.ac.uk
Dr. Kobena T. Hanson
African Capacity Building Foundation
Zimbabwe
DOI: 10.1108/20425961201000033
Abstract: There is now real optimism of the prospects of Africa reclaiming the 21st century given its recent sterling growth performance and the number of successful reforms undertaken. There have been considerable and noticeable efforts to invest in innovation, infrastructure, integration, institutions and a revamp of incentive systems to develop new values that allow for transparency, accountability and greater social inclusion. New forms of leaderships have emerged at various social levels and institutions to drive a development agenda based on peer‐learning and knowledge‐sharing. Africa, in so doing, is unearthing deep skills and the reaping low‐hanging fruits needed to speed its ambitions to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and sustainable development. This broad development agenda has required Africa to adopt strategic and practical solutions to the development challenges it faces. This volume interrogates a number of issues that are crucial for the attainment of sustainable development in Africa: a responsive governance framework, the demographic transition and youth bulge, conflict and related dynamics – such as disarmament and demobilisation, capacity building in post‐conflict and fragile states, the role of donors in enhancing (or otherwise) local development efforts, the need to understand the “softer‐side” of capacity development; and above all the role of savvy and strategic leadership. Understanding these issues and beyond, by organizations like the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), will determine whether Africa will achieve its development ambitions in the very near future.
Keywords: ACBF; Africa; Capacity Development; Fragile States; Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Politics; Sustainable Development; Transformative Leadership; Universities.
Citation: Ahmed, A. and Hanson, K.T. (2011), "Leadership, capacity building and sustainable development in contemporary Africa", World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Vol. 7 No. 2/3/4, pp. 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/20425961201000033
