African Renaissance

Fantu Cheru is a professor at the School of International Service, The American University, Washington DC. Ethiopian by birth, Dr Cheru is a specialist in policy analysis, rural development and urban and regional planning. He has acted as a consultant to a wide range of institutions including UN agencies - the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) - as well as various development agencies including SIDA and DANIDA. His research and consultancy activity has enabled him to spend periods of time in a wide range of African countries.

'A timely contribution to the debate on Africa's future in the age of globalization. In this penetrating analysis, Cheru analyzes Africa's marginal position in the new global hierarchy and then proceeds to offer important but pragmatic pointers that African governments, in consultation with their populations, must undertake to navigate successfully the cold currents of globalization. A must read for African policymakers, civil society leaders, and donor organizations.' Carlos Lopes, Bureau of Development Policy, United Nations Development Programme 'Globalization, with its contradictory tendencies, poses a great challenge to the African continent. Despite gloomy predictions about Africa's future, however, Cheru argues that globalization can offer great opportunity for the continent, but only if African leaders are prepared to manage it carefully and with greater concern for empowering the poor. Africa can and must compete in a rapidly changing global economy. But this will require fundamental change in African attitude, institutional arrangement, orientation to governance and economic management-a conclusion broadly in line with UNECA's Compact for African Development.' K.Y. Amoako, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 'Cheru's roadmaps' provide an insightful evaluation of Africa's political and economic points of origin, as well as its' desired Renaissance destination. Most importantly, it offers clear directions for fellow travellers joining the fight against global apartheid!' Salih Booker, executive director, Africa Action 'A welcome addition to the discussion on development in Africa ... a good book for development studies scholars' Valentine James, Journal of Sustainable Development

• 1. Africa and the Globalization Challenge2. Renewing and Restoring Democracy in Africa: A Herculean Task3. Reforming African Education for the Twenty-first Century4. Agriculture and Rural Development5. Rethinking Regional Economic Integration: From Rhetoric to Reality6. The Urban-Rural Interface: Managing Fast Growing Cities in Africa7. Rebuilding War-torn Societies and Preventing Deadly Conflicts8. Concluding Remarks: A Wake-up Call to Fellow Africans