Background
In Africa, the adoption of the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) followed in the wake of the Africa Union’s adoption of the aspirations of Agenda 2063. Africa’s broad-ranging and ambitious set of development goals was designed with a view to direct national and subregional development in Africa. However, the alignment of the SDGs and Agenda 2063’s aspirations remains a challenge, which may impact on development progress in Africa. This is particularly the case when additional alignment with national development plans is factored in.
Research argument
Policy coherence on subnational, national, subregional, regional and global levels is key to ensuring inclusive and sustainable development. However, policy coherence for development remains a perspective applied to the implementation of policies of providers of development assistance. In Africa, the challenges related to aligning and implementing both the SDGs and Agenda 2063’s aspirations illustrates the real-life challenges related to policy coherence, and the need to expand the current perspective. This paper investigates correspondence and tensions between the SDGs, Agenda 2063’s aspirations and South Africa’s National Development Plan – both on theoretical and practical levels. This forms the basis for arguing that research on policy coherence for development can fruitfully be applied to the policies of developing countries.
Aim
The aim of this paper is to illustrate the opportunities and challenges related to applying policy coherence for development to the policies of developing countries. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 is the only regional policy instrument of its kind and provides a unique opportunity for investigating the challenges of policy coherence for sustainable development.
Theoretical framework
This paper is qualitative in nature and bases its conclusions on documentary analysis, engagement with key policy-makers, enriched with personal experience. Due to the operative theoretical framework, it will not make use of empirical research. It seeks to present a conceptual argument.
Conclusions
This paper highlights the complexities of policy coherence in developing contexts and suggests implementation-level solutions to challenges. It is argued that the national level remains the level of implementation, which provides national governments with the opportunity to use their own development policies as integrative instruments.
Implications for the conference theme
This paper contributes specifically to the notion of ‘engagement’ of the conference theme. It is aimed at reflecting on the most effective engagement between multilateral policy-making platforms towards transformative policy coherence.
Keywords 2030 Agenda; Agenda 2063; policy alignment; African Union; South Africa; National Development Plan
6e African perspective on the old and new world challenges for sustainable development
