DEVELOPMENT

5 A host of questions for AFD
Box 17
AFD and Africa
Africa is a continent of contrasted possible futures: as a reservoir of potential prosperity
and human and natural resources, a conflict zone to be “contained” with fragilities to be
reduced, and a region to be integrated into the rest of the world, Africa will continue to
be a necessary area of intervention. AFD’s action will be determined not only by its
strategic commitment, but also by the means it has available. If French bilateral policy is
scaled back and centered on security issues and support to fragile States (“Impasse”),
Africa could once again become the main intervention zone for an AFD that has refocused
its operations. In a fragmented world, (“Babel 3.0”), Africa also becomes an arena of
struggles for influence, including economic influence. Lastly, in “Aligning Aspirations”,
AFD contributes to deepening Africa’s integration with the rest of the world, and also
serves as a potential solution provider for global or common problems. The scenarios
concur on the continuing importance of an African agenda, not only because of its
high concentration of issues (economic, environmental, human, demographic), but
also for historical, proximity and zones-of-influence reasons.
Urban territories and systems, the rising actors
of the international agenda
In all the scenarios, urban development appears as a general trend, marked by the continuous
and unsustainable expansion of large cities and the mushrooming of mid-sized
cities. In parallel, moves towards decentralization are becoming more common. It is increasingly
necessary to be close to the ground in order to take action in a context where power
and decision centers are more and more numerous. Given these trends, local governments
(cities and regions) have become essential partners for donors. In most of the scenarios,
they have extended mandates (employment, health and education…) and specific needs
(local/global articulation, capacity-building…). Cities and regions are increasingly setting
public policy, and are the loci where actions on key development issues are crafted and
implemented.
“How can sprawling cities with residents from diverse or even antagonistic regions
and spaces be governed?” Caglar Ozden
‐
Foresighting for Development
Development agencies, steering through future worlds. Afd2025
I
In the world of “Greening without States”, and more so in that of “Aligning Aspirations”,
the role of local government appears even more important, not only in implementing
public development policies on the ground but also in funding them. Local governments
could also participate in defining the mandate and policy for development funding and
support provided by an institution such as AFD. The “cities” are thus AFD’s future beneficiaries,
project owners and partners. The Agency stands to gain from strengthening its
positioning as an actor of local development, as well as serving as a bridge between local
authorities on different continents, including in Europe and France.
65