Prospects and Challenges of Sustainable Development in Africa

Abstract

Despite attempts by African governments to achieve Sustainable Development, there is a growing perception that Africa may fail in achieving the goals. This perception is fueled partly by the evidence that while the world is undergoing rapid change, which is driven prominently by technology and globalization, Africa remains unprotected and at risk of being exploited without due recognition of, and remuneration for, its resources. Additionally, there is the continued escalating trend in poverty and the diminishing strength of the environment to meet current and future needs of African countries. Given the fact that sustainable development appears to be contradicting in between the opposing imperatives of growth and development on one hand, and ecological sustainability on the other, the trend in sustainable development on the African continent has generated some skepticism about whether the goals are achievable in Africa. The lack of a logical literature that documents the challenges and prospects of Sustainable development in Africa underpins the uncertainty of achieving the goals in Africa. Hence, this paper assessed the challenges of sustainable development in Africa, and the way forward. Keywords: SDG, Africa, Agriculture, Poverty, Economy, Development