Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Lagos Plan of Action

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

The Lagos Plan of Action (officially the Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa, 1980–2000) was an Organisation of African Unity-backed plan to increase Africa's self-sufficiency. It was drafted in Lagos, Nigeria in April 1980, during a conference which included a variety of African leaders. It has been characterized as the collective response of African states to the World Bank's 1981 Berg report. The plan blamed Africa's economic crisis on the Structural Adjustment Programs of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and the vulnerability of African economies to worldwide economic shocks, such as the 1973 oil crisis.

The report claimed that development in Africa could be achieved by a decreased reliance on raw material extraction, industrialization, global equality in trade relations and an increase in development aid from the international community. Africanist scholars noted the absence in the report of any blame on, or calls for reform of, domestic governments of Africa. This contrasts significantly with the Berg Report, which apportioned blame solely on the Africa leaders themselves, with the international community taking no responsibility for their part in Africa's demise.

References

Lagos Plan of Action Wikipedia