The Lagos Plan of Action—Legal Mechanisms for Co-Operation Between the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Abstract

The African continent represents a region which faces economic problems of the utmost severity at a time when the global economy itself is ravaged by inflation, unemployment and the effects of a world recession. Africa contains 21 of the world's 45 least-developed nations. Its total Gross National Product accounts for only 2·7 per cent. of the world's Product and Africa has the lowest average per capita income in the world. Many African countries lack basic medical and health care facilities while food shortages and severe unemployment affect a very high proportion of African peoples. Internal African development strategies of the past have been subjected to critical investigation in an attempt to assess the sources of the continent's development problems. Despite its vast natural resources and the praiseworthy efforts of many African governments, the continent as a whole (excluding South Africa) is unable to show any significant economic expansion or growth.The 1980 Lagos Plan of Action represents the most recent initiative undertaken by the Organisation of African Unity (O.A.U.) in conjunction with the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (E.C.A.) to develop a successful regional strategy for African development. It aims at economic growth in each individual African state in different sectors including food and agriculture, industry and in environmental and energy matters. It adopts specific as well as general targets with time limits, for each aspect of economic planning.