African Agency, Finance and Developmental States

This book is an open invitation to the enterprise of re-imagining an alternative decolonial development project in Africa. It does this by focusing on the triple themes of African agency, development finance, and African developmental states in the context of an emerging multipolar world system. The book must be read as an affirmatively disruptive inquiry into the twin evils of global coloniality and global capitalist economic relations that have kept Africa on the lower rungs of the global pecking order, thereby preventing the rooting of an alternative development paradigm on the continent. As such, the book seeks to contribute towards the project of extricating the financing of development in Africa from the clutches of the Global North and the emerging powers of the Global South. In this way, it is a call for Afro-rebellion against the old and new forms of global coloniality and global capitalism. While the book is of major interest to scholars and students of African Studies, Development Studies, International Development Cooperation, International Relations, International Trade and Investment, Diplomacy, Africa–China Relations, and Political Science, it is equally meant for the general reader as it assumes no prior knowledge in any of the field of enquiry other than interest in the development of the African continent.

"Balancing both academic and policy orientations, Gorden Moyo not only makes the case for why Africa must untie itself and its development from the clutches of perennial dependency on foreign sources and modes of development financing, he also, most importantly, provides a way forward, offering up a menu of ideas, tools and policy pathways, at both the national and regional levels, by which Africa might assert the necessary agency in charting and financing its own development agenda."(-- Prof. Kwasi H. Prempeh, Executive Director, Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) Ghana)

"By tackling the complex and inextricably intertwined issues of African agency, finance, and development; Gorden Moyo has not only demonstrated great erudition but also the value of engaged scholarship drawing from his experience in government and civil society; and the product is nothing but a priceless gift to Africa which is struggling with development challenges. I have nothing but praise for this ground-breaking work of scholarly excellence.''

 

(--Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Professor and Chair of Epistemologies of the Global South, University of Bayreuth, Germany)

The underlying theme in Dr Moyo’s book is encapsulated in the title African Agency. Through this work, the author repositions the African continent and tries to understand why Africa has been relegated to the periphery. The interplay between theory and practice has been expounded elegantly from an honest scholarly perspective. Finding a place for Africa in a multipolar world order is in line with the Africanisation agenda that has regained currency in African scholarship. The notions of ‘development finance’ and ‘decoloniality’ fit neatly in Dr Moyo’s Afrocentric analysis. The book is theoretically challenging and structurally sound. The nine chapters have been weaved together in a seamless manner. While the earlier chapters theorise the subject of the book, subsequent chapters are more practical, using specific case studies to elucidate the key arguments. This book is indeed a timely contribution to African scholarship and will appeal to various audiences, especially Africanist scholars.

(--Prof. Bheki R. Mngomezulu, Full Professor of Political Science & Deputy Dean of Research, University of the Western Cape, EMS Faculty)

“This is a solid, well-researched and effectively reasoned book on the key issues at the centre of the continent’s resurgence: African agency, development finance, and African developmental states. It provides a robust framework of engagement for both academics and statecraft practitioners. African public policy formulation must be anchored by empirical studies such as presented in this book. ”

(--Prof. Arthur G.O. Mutambara, Visiting Full Professor, University of Johannesburg; Former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe)

The book’s focus on African financial agency and the developmental state is a much-needed input in a context, where seemingly there are no alternatives to reliance on old or new donors, debt, or austerity. The analysis of mechanisms that make the African Union free from external financial interests adds further nuance and crucial insights in this very current and timely book. Moreover, the accessible style of writing opens the often complex contents to a wide readership. Highly recommend literature on all counts!

 (--Friedarike Santner, development consultant, Austria)

In African Agency, Finance and Developmental States, Gorden Moyo persuasively rejects the crippling economic relations between the developed world and Africa and sounds a battle cry for Africa to rid herself of the current economic shackles and chart a new order of viable and sustainable development.  Easy to read, the book provokes and transports the reader to optimistic paths of development.  I highly recommend this must-read book to every developmental practitioner engaged in searching for alternatives for the continent.

(--Prof. Adriano Nuvunga, Ph.D., Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) Mozambique)

Gorden Moyo is Senior Lecturer at Lupane State University, Zimbabwe. He is also Founder of an independent think tank—the Public Policy and Research Institute of Zimbabwe (PPRIZ). He received his Ph.D. in African Leadership Development from the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe. He is Former Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Former Minister of State Enterprises and Parastatals, Zimbabwe. He has edited three books and published several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.