African Renaissance in the Contemporary Era of the African Union: Re-Thinking Strategies for Africa’s Industrial and Economic Development

Abstract

The blaming of colonialism, neo-colonialism and the multi-national corporations’ sabotage of Africa’s political, social, industrial and economic development must be something of the past in the new millennium. Introspectively, there is absolute need for re-think and re-strategize in terms of approaches, methods and techniques about implementation plans for sustainable and equitable development. In every respect – institutional resources, raw materials, skilled and unskilled labour, material and human resources -Africa has all these potentials to stand on its own feet to initiate its political, social industrial and economic development agenda in the new millennium. Dependency on foreign assistance from the same colonialists and imperialists for Africa’s development should be limited or completely curtailed for obvious reasons. This empirical survey research paper presents recorded and observable evidence enlightened by analytical synthesis of the potential Africa has to trigger its development through its regional blocks. The analysis will be supported by case studies, concrete sources with scholarly argument to make a contribution to the debate towards the industrial and economic development of Africa in the era of the African Renaissance under the auspices of the African Union (AU).