tlnited NATIONS fcohomic and SOCIAL COUHCIL Distr. LIMITED E/CN.U/CAP.3/12 2 April 1970 Original: ENGLISH ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Conference of African Planners Third session Addis Ababa, 20 to 29 May 1970 STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL PLANNING LI7O-693
E/dM4/CAP.3/l2 1«Development Planning in Africa has made a remarkable progress during the 196O's. One of the main features distinguishing planning today from that of the first years of independence is increasing interest in regional planning^ i.e., the elaboration of plans and programmes for sub-national regions - provinces, distriots, departments, etc, 2. The first iong-term plans of the African countries had few or,,, no passages concerning regional development, while the so-called "second generation" African plans put more emphasis on regional problems. Many plans now include special parts on regional development programmes. 3. When a problem exists, there must be an authority to deal, with it. As it may be seen in the annex, 28 African countries have already created special departments to deal wi+h regional problems. - These departments are, as a rule, located in the planning ministries. 4#..' *ncreasing attention to regional development has led to more sophisticated and effective procedures and management of regional planning suoh as regional!zation (creation of new set of economic or planning regions to replace obsolete administrative sub-division) increasing sovereignly of local administration in development planning; ^T1011 Vs^*s V.^ of regionalg surveysy and feasfbiht sluiifs. * n C?untries ha^e appealed officill officially to theh United Nations ^ ^ th9 E0A' f r technioal i-tano. in regional h.thif P^S^683 reflects an increased understanding of the of regional development for economic and social progresf. Attenti^^ tial "f Probl-s/ay te co^idered an indicator^of^aturltion L tl lp^losophy. The reasons which have compelled 311^ t0 mw l *" ^ are ^lear and may
E/CM.14/CAP.3/12 Page 2 9*.Many, countries have started giant industrial projects, e.g., hydroelectric plants, mining enterprises, railways. In the areas where they are located, a complex multisectoral problem arise which can be solved only by a comprehensive.approach to the development of the region concerned. Such mammuth projec+s give special impetus, to regional * planning, and they are supplemented "by many small but vitally important community, development projects.., 10. Detailed analysis could add many more features to the list but those mentioned illustrate the extent and requirements of the problem. 11. development is an indissoluble component of general economic and social development, likewise regional planning is an indissoluble component of general planning, depending upon ideas, goals, and policies elaborated by the latter. Since regional planning helps to solve major national problems, it must be included in and harmonized with national development strategy. ; 12* It is difficult to present briefly all the ideas and methods of regional planning. This paper is supplemented by a special manual - like dictionary " Planning and Location" (idoc. No". E/CN.14/9AP,3/l2a) 13. Some recommendation for further improvement in regional planning can be made. Their application requires situational; interpretation, a*id not dogmatic usage, since concrete solutions to regional problems depend upon situational 'elements by country and region. 14- The leading requirement is a continuous effort to strengthen central regional planning bodies, their staffing and education, in order - to make +hem more active and efficient. 15- development, efforts must be harmonized. In some countries regional questions are dispersed among different ministries and departments, such as planning, community development? local-administration, town planning, interior, rural or/and agricultural development. Present co-ordination leaves much to be desired. 16. Information on regional matters must be centralized, in the first place regional statistics, which are necessary for sound planning. 17 planning in African countries is and will be the domain of the central government and depends on publics finance,especially for infrastructure. Financial and planning authorities must also be more courageous in involving private investors in regional development. Proper economic incentives must be elaborated and provided in order to ' attract private entrepreneurs to the regions of urgent priority. 18. Present necessities are also the gradual increase of knowledge, " " ; experience, and managerial power within local (regional) administrations and involvement of the local population in regional development programmes.
E/<3M4/CAP.3/i2 Annex I ANNEX I TABLE 1 African Countries Planning Agencies, early 1969 Country Planning unit in the Ministry Planning of Other central Ministries dealing with regional development a/ Local develop- Routine. admi: ment units.in nistrative +he regions network used for regional ptgj development -. North Algeria Africa Libya Morocco Sudan UAR East Africa Botswana Burundi Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauri tius Rwanda Somalia Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia +. s/ + 2/
E/Cff.H/CAP.3/12 Annex I-, ^. :,,.,;; Page 2 ' \'.;'.^,""Ll' ' TABLB I (cont'd.) African Countries Planning Agencies, early 1969 " Planning unit ;ih the Ministry of. Planning. Other central Ministries dealing with regional ; development af Local develop ment units in the regions Routine nistrative admi network used for regional planning and development \ West Africa,,, Dahomey ''...:.. Gambia Ghana Ivory Coast Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Upper Volta Central Africa Cameroon C.A.R- Chad Congo -rbrazza. Congo-Kinshasa Gabon i/ 1/ + Notes: + the agency exists, - does not exist. a/ Mainly Ministries for rural development, also those for Town and Country Planning, Local Administration, Land Reform etc b/ It means agencies specially assigned for regional development. c/ On the lower level, new primary economic regions around growth centres have been created., d/ Planning regions which differs from the old administrative sub divisions and created for the purpose of regional development. Sources Collected from national information available.
Annex II; ANNEX II TABLE 2 African countries. State Plan-ninsri-' early'1969 Country., ; plans in ' corporated into national plans. overall plans for special areas a/ development mirrored in the loca tion of " projects Participation in the multi-, national re gional develop ment pro grammes" North Africa Algeria Libya Morocco Sudan Tunisia UAR East Africa Botswana Burundi Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauri tius Rwanda Somalia Swaziland Tanzania Uganda +.
Page 2 TAELE12 (cont'd.) African countries-. (cont'd.) Country.'. - > : plans in corporated in-to overall national ; >lans plan's for special areas, a/ development mirrored in the,loca tion of Participation In the multi national -re gional develop ment amme3 pro-^* Dahomey Gambia Ghana Ivory Coast Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Upper Vol-ta Central Africa Cameroon C.A-R. Chad Congo-Brazza. Congo-Kinshasa Gabon Notes: + the plaas exist - do not exist a/ Project areas, underdeveloped regions, urbanized areas etc, Souroe. Collected from national information available.