Monday, May 28, 2012

RWANDAN YOUTH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC INDUSTRY


ANALYSIS TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT MUSIC AMONG RWANDAN YOUTH

WHY RWANDAN YOUTH ARE WORKING HARD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC INDUSTRY?

Sitting at home, one question comes in my mind “WHY IN THESE DAYS, RWANDAN YOUTH ARE WORKING HARDLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC INDUSTRY?” it was not easy for me to get the accurate answers; some questions remains in my mind like
Ø  Are they working for money-music as a job (professional)?
Ø  Are they willing to become célèbre-stars?
Ø  Is it for the entertainment/Relaxing?
Ø  Is it because they love music?
Ø  Are they escaping the problems-Music as an escape domain?
Ø  Are they exploring their free time?
Ø  Are they using the music as the way of expressing their views?
Those questions require analysing each question deeply, and getting the answers from the singers and listeners of music or DJ, in order to confirm the causes of being more active in music industry for the Rwandan youth. I am not interesting to make a deep research but to analyze and I hope this article will help the students and many researchers to develop and find out the exact causes.
As my aim is to open the door for the researchers, briefly let us analyze all those above questions one to one based on the main causes as the motivation of forcing the Rwandan youth to be in the industry music.

INTRODUCTION

Today human being is surrounded by countless worries. Listening to music alleviate him. Music acts as a stimulant and calms the nerves. It is a fine art and groups of all ages attracted to its sweet sound. A person gifted with visual capabilities finds music as a food for his soul. Some of the great musicians of the world are held in high respect. People can find a rich and healthy experience if they listen to music.
One of the great things about music in general, and in particular concert music, is that playing it opens up a whole new world of experience that further enhances the mind, physical coordination, and expression. Music lovers, who are also amateur performers, may choose to play in community ensembles (orchestra, band, and choir), take lessons, perform with others, compose, and nearly anything else a professional musician may do, while maintaining their regular lives. All of this involves intense physical coordination in performing an instrument alone or with others, while reading musical notation, and adding delicate or strong nuanced changes to the music that only a performer can bring. In general, to an amateur musician, music can provide an escape from everyday life or an alternative means of expressing one's own capabilities. It is an important part of their lives and fills a need or an urge to create music.
The further research can be done in order to determine deeply the causes of being in the music industry for Rwandan youth, because every phenomenon has a cause and the consequences, my objectives was to analyze and find some causes or motivation of the youth to be in the music industry and what they are gaining from?
Music has been a part of the lives of human being since the beginning of recorded history. Music has been used by many cultures ancient and new to record history. Traditions that men hold dear to their hearts often involve the use of music in some form or fashion. Rites of passage and marriages usually include music as part of the cultural and religious traditions[1].
Music brings people together and lifts them emotionally. Music has been used for social change and propaganda. It is a bridge which can allow people of many different cultures, religions, beliefs, and races to cross and meet with an international understanding. Music allows man to express himself in ways no other creature on earth can. Without music, man's life would be dull, drab, and colorless[2].
Music is an olive branch toward the global understanding of human nature and mankind because it allows you to express your feelings, which not even words, can convey which means music is a branch or another way to communicate with the world. It’s a way for us as people to express our emotions with one another.
In this days for ever, the Rwandan youth are more active in the development of music industry, the recording studio are created every day, and the number of musician is increasing from one day to another day, it is too early to get the statistic; some of the youth are dropped out their studies to develop their career of music; the question was how many of them are developing their career to become the professional; only in 2005, the group of KGB (Kigali Boys) was a group of musician in Rwanda but only in 2012, the statistics is too big like in PGGSS(Primus Guma Guma Super Star) accounted 20 musician to be in the competition in January 2012 which is a small number compared to the youth in music.
This paper is focusing on the analysis of the causes and the importance of being in the music for the Rwandan youth as they are more active in this domain; hope deep research will be done by the students and the researchers.

WORKING FOR MONEY

Normally working for money is concerning with using the skills, knowledge, available resources a person has to gain money so that s/he can survive and improve s/he is welfare and develop him/her self and his/her surroundings. Based on this information, we can wonder whether all the Rwandan youth in music are working for money, if so are they getting the money? How many Rwandan singers have changed their life to the best situation based on the music? And to this question we can fix the criteria to determine the level of improving the life with music as the skills, and also we have to get the number of the singers who have been developed through music.
So how can we measure the development of the Rwandan youth with music as a base? For better understand well, can we find out how many singers who are paying the school fees themselves, how many of them have a car? How many have a house? How many of them can pay the rent of their house? How many singers have invested in the companies or society? How may have the companies? How many have the shopping? The criteria to determine whether the Rwandan youth are using music for working for money can be vary and differ on the person to another. But my analysis is looking whether they are using the music as a tool or skills for working for money. Other question comes on, regarding the market, how big is the Rwandan music market? How many singers who are getting money from their products; based on the analysis of Economic Rwandan situation, the Rwandan population are not familial with buying the music product, they are happy  to listen them on the radio , having the copied CD form DJs or friends but it is not a big number who can pay 5,000rwf or more for a one CD or DVD, even if they are some, but this can’t confirm that the market is bigger, except some activities like Primus Guma Guma Super Star (PGGSS), advertisement for the telecommunication companies, public events-show and organizations advertisement; so, this can lead us to the conclusion saying that, we can’t completely retain and keep our thesis saying that the Rwandan youth are in the music in order to work for money, but also we can’t ignore it completely because some of them have improved and are still in the process of development through music as a job and so on; based on the statistics of the Rwandan youth developed with music as a job for working for money this thesis can be rejected.

BECOME CÉLÈBRE-STARS

Based on the definition from wikpedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity) “a celebrity, referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media. The term is synonymous with wealth (commonly denoted as a person with fame and fortune), implied with great popular appeal, prominence in a particular field, and is easily recognized by the general public”.
 This definition clarify well how a person can be recognized publically, so after this definition we can wonder whether the Rwandan youth in music industry are really willing to become célèbre, the stars in Rwanda using the music as the only strategy and tools to be recognized; so the same questions arise again wondering why becoming the stars? How to become the stars? What are the benefits of becoming a star? How many persons become the stars in one specific field? How long people remain as star? All those questions and many others can determine how the Rwandan youth in the music industry are willing to become the stars and the benefits they are expected to gain after becoming the stars. The Rwandan music industry is recognizing many young girls and boys, but how many of them are becoming the stars? Many of the singers are producing the songs which are not liked by the population for a long time, this means that if their songs are not on the market of music for a long time the income of this product is not much and this leads to be a star for a short time, which means that there is no important of becoming a star for one day or one week, if it is, is there any benefits after one week or one month? If so how much is this income? Is it enough to be recognized only in one week or one month? if it is very good to be a star, everyone would like to be a star for ever or for a long time and very sure s/he has to use more efforts and resources to be a star for a long time; also if becoming a star has some positive impact like increasing the income, the singers who have like 5years in industry music have become rich singers, is that right? I don’t think so.
On my behalf becoming star –a celebrity is a best thing and am sure everyone would like to stay a célèbre for a long time if not no reason of becoming a star, if also becoming a star doesn’t bring any benefits for the stars, no reason to be recognized for a short time. Becoming a star must be followed and bring the positive benefit for the stars; if so how many Rwandan singer have gained the benefits? And how many are the stars? For how long time they are the stars? This thesis of taking the development of Rwandan music for the Rwandan youth as the way for becoming the stars are not correct as well as they are not all the stars, and those who become the stars-known at the national atmosphere industry music don’t show a big positive change in their change of becoming the stars.
As conclusion this thesis of working hardly in the development of Rwandan music for the Rwandan youth in order to become the stars is rejected; this means and shows that they are other something behind the development of Rwanda industry music especially for the Rwandan youth.
As more as the author produce many songs, s/he comes a star, and an author has to make sure he has a good voice to be liked by the population if not it will end without becoming a star; some factors are contributing in becoming stars, but we can’t forget that becoming the star is among the steps to increase the income and be developed.

ENTERTAINMENT

Based on the definition from wikpedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment) Entertainment is an action, event or activity that aims to entertain, amuse and interest a public ("public" can consist of one person). This audience can have a passive role, as in the case of a play, a show on a TV or a movie, or active, as in the case of a video game. The holidays, games, reading and viewing works of art are not generally considered entertainment, but rather as a pastime. For the entertainment generally requires that the supplier of the show is visible to the viewer, with the exception of video games. The entertainment can attract an audience and influence their actions and thoughts. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation. Activities such as personal reading or practicing a musical instrument are considered to be hobbies or pastimes.
Rwandan youth in the development of music industry as an entertainment; wikpedia defines entertainment as the way of interesting the public and the audience can have a passive role; but in our context, we can define music as the way of entertaining the audience and the singers themselves through the recorded songs, in fact as the one way of helping the public to relax and the singers themselves through listening music. If we can define music entertainment as that, there must be a motivation of entertainment especially from the audience, if not the singers can go in the situdio to record the music as entertaining themselves, what are the importance of this? Why a person can entertain himself or herself? Many reasons can be available, first a person can entertain himself/herself as the way of creativity, as the way of getting the result as experience of specific field, as the way of relaxing, and other cause of entertain of a person himself or herself is to forget or to be out of their problems s/he is facing with, at this case we can said that a music can be a field to consider as an escape, a field for relaxing to forget the problems; it is the same case for the Rwandans? Before answering this question, let us come back on the situation of Rwandan youth in these days:
The situation facing Rwandan youth today is likely not as punishing as before the 1994 genocide in large part because an urban outlet, to some degree, exists. But that does not mean that life for Rwanda’s youth has transformed from mainly hopeless to primarily hopeful. The plight for the overwhelming majority remains extremely serious. Rwanda’s National Youth Policy provides a potential platform to support youth, but its implementation requires consistent and sustained efforts and resources[3].
The population of Rwanda is very young. The percentage of the population aged less than 15 is 46.3% whereas the percentage of the population less than 25 is 67%[4] .
In summary, 67% of the total population of the Rwanda is under 25 years old. An estimated 15% of the inhabitants of Kigali are 15 – 24 years old, and this same age group comprises 26% of the population of Butare.  In Kigali, over 65% of youth have a primary school diploma but only 24% have a secondary school diploma. In Butare, more young people possess a primary school diploma (over 75%) but fewer (14.5%) have completed secondary school. While school enrolment rates are increasing, dropout rates remain high and overall education quality is low. The number of youth migrating to Kigali in search of employment and self employment in off farm occupations has been growing, though this widely recognized trend is not documented with hard data. As of 2005, two thirds of the population was younger than 25. In 2007, 40% of the population was between the ages of 16 and 35[5].
Relating to this thesis of using a music as an entertainment for Rwandan youth, it can base on the problems they are facing with which force them to escape and try to forget the problems using music as an escape for entertainment; the problem of employment in Rwanda still a major problem for the youth even for those who finished their high studies; in fact the problem of unemployment especially for the youth can be seen as the major cause of forcing the youth in the music industry; the government has put more efforts in the education for all especially for the youth, this helps the majority of the youth to be and to finish their secondary studies but very hard to get a job and very hard to continue their high studies; as the answer of all those problems the youth are facing with , they are more in music as entertainment in order to forget or to be out of the problems for a certain period, no matter of being célèbre, no matter of gaining money and no matter of being professionals but to forget and to be out of the problems they are facing with.
If their aim of being in the music industry is to gain money the majority of them would just leave the field, as well as they are not gaining anything as an income, but where can they go? What can they do? I think those remain the same question for many youth who plan to move out in the music industry.
Music helps each one of us find our unique social position, bringing us together with other folks that share similar interests. It documents the history of social and cultural changes in society, and is always in a state of perpetual evolution, combining new ideas with older ones to create a sound that's unique to each generation. Familiar songs help us recall special moments in our lives, such as our first love, or maybe our first kiss[6].
In nutshell, this thesis of developing a music as an entertainment field is considered as the cause or motivation among others of the youth to be in the field of music, remember that this entertainment is caused or motivated by many things, the major one is lack of employment which leads to having many problems and they prefer to be in music industry so that they an escape and use music as an escape field.

LOVE MUSIC

Loving something must have something like a motivation, why can you love music? Is it for entertainment? Is it for expressing the ideas? Is it for other something else? Everything must have a reason whether intangible (moral) or tangible like money as motivation to continue going ahead. The Rwandan youth if they love music, this can be interpreted as improving their talent which is a good idea to develop a music industry; but we can wonder how many Rwandan youth in music industry who love music-who wishes to develop their talents? If s/he produces the songs which are not liked by the audience, is s/he going to produce another one? How many songs a singer can produce and those songs are not liked by the audience? Is that a motivation? Even if we can took this thesis as the one which force the youth to be in the development of music industry but it’s too early to confirm this; let us assume that this thesis (love music) is correct, so the youth can listen to other music from the talented signers but not going to the studio as it is the cost for them while they don’t have a job and other income to pay for studio. So this thesis is not completely correct there is other motivation or pressure behind but not loving music because even some of them are not talented singers; because their songs are being played a few days on the market of music.
One singer said “As a professional musician, composer and songwriter, music is my life. My dream has always been to write songs that will move people and hopefully make a difference in their lives. I can't even imagine a world without music”![7] For this case an author loves music.
As conclusion, even if some singers can love music because either they are talented or because they feel good with music, they are some others who are in the music with many other objectives or reasons.

MUSIC AS AN ESCAPE FIELD

We can define an escape place or field as the place where a person can go to escape something bad; in our context an escape place is a domain which can be used in order to forget the problems a person is facing with; the questions can be: is music a domain to take as an escape? If so how? Why music can be considered as an escape domain?
Before analyzing this thesis, let us have the views of other authors; when man first learned to play instruments, compose, and sing he began his long journey out of darkness and into the light. Through the using of music man began revealing the thoughts of his mind and the pains of his conscience. The love, hate, and desires he held in his heart is shared with all of the world and even heaven. Men worshipped gods and thanked them for their bountiful harvests with music and song. They dance and sing for them when there is no rain to help the crops grow. Men sing and dance when they are sad or are happy, when they are celebrating or mourning, for peace or for war[8].
Music serves man in many ways. It is therapeutic, comforting, and calming. The stress we deal with in our everyday lives as humans in the frequently inhumane world we live in is alleviated by listening to music. Music calms disturbed spirits, invigorates dead spirits, and connects us spiritually. We are connected to the world, God, and families through the use of music. Battles have been halted and wars stopped with the use of music. We use music to express the longings and desires of our hearts as humans and our anger at injustices that so commonly occur in many societies. Communities, religions, and ideologies are bound together by music.
For more understand the importance of music as an escape, let us also get the views of other author who has given the qualities of music in life[9], those qualities have been modified a bit by the author of this article.

QUALITIES DEVELOPED BY MUSIC

Ø  The Music is based on the imaginations. It is full of imaginations with new creativities. For this purpose, the singers have the knowledge of some music.
Ø  Once the author starts to develop music, it needs new ideas, for which the authors need creativity. New ideas, new approaches and different colors of musical phrases and in the process, the author get a good musical tunes. This type of knowledge helps the authors to regulate life in different ways.
Ø  The creativity and composing of the tunes bring the deep and vast thought in mind whatever job undertakes. The authors get the solution immediately if it happens to face any problems. They are aware in which way the matter would move and have the solution to solve it at the starting stage itself.
Ø  Secondly the authors always have the presence of mind when it is needed. Even at the most difficult situations, the mind stays cool and this feeling help the authors to get the presence of mind, surely help them to come out with the answers of the problems without any strain in the mind and body.

EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS

Music has always been and always will be interwoven with mankind's traditions, beliefs, and cultures. Human beings have used music as an art form and as a means of creative self expression. They have misused it as a tool for spreading toxic ideologies and beliefs and to negatively influence the moral consciences of people everywhere. Music has been used mostly for good purposes by mankind. Good purposes like drawing people together in friendship and celebration are by far the more widely used applications for music in man's life[10]. The ultimate means of communicating with other human beings is by using music as a medium, for it is understood by all and knows no language or cultural barriers.
Music is a language that can be used by people of every different race, nationality, culture, or religion without fear of being misunderstood[11].
Gabriella Bayshtok- a student at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Queens, New York. Said that “Music is an olive branch toward the global understanding of human nature and mankind because it allows you to express your feelings, which not even words, can convey” if the music is considered as the way of expressing the feelings, the Rwandan youth are definitely use the music as the method of expressing their views; Innocent- a Rwandan youth whom we discussed about this problem has said “ music is the only domain where the youth can get a job easily, becoming a célèbre in the music is the one method to work for money” this message confirm that the youth are using the music to express their views, as he said it is the only domain where the youth can create a job themselves, this shows that the youth are suffering with the lack of job which is forcing them to be in the music as creativity and work for money, through the music their expressing their problems of lack of job, they are relaxing and they are escaping their problems.

EXPLORING A FREE TIME

Regarding on the previous topic concerning using music to express their views, the Rwandan youth are in the music industry in order to keep their time more useful with the new domain, staying a long time without having a job is the one cause which force the youth to be more active in the music industry, and exploring this free time helps them to express their views; in fact the majority of the Rwandan youth are in the music industry as the way of using their free time after missing the job and the opportunity to continue their studies in advanced schools.

GENERAL CONCLUSION

The music is very important for a human being it helps them to express their views, relaxing/entertainment and some of the musician are becoming the célèbre which helps them to earn more money and some of the musician are using music as their professional career. The Rwandan youth are facing with the problem of lack of job, they are not more active in music industry because they love it but contrary  because they want to express their views, they want to explore their free time due to lack of job, they thought being the musician can increase the chance to use music as their professional career to make money, despite lack of talents some of them are not known in the music industry or don’t resist because their products are not good for the Rwandan, definitely they don’t buy the products; even if the majority of the person discussed on this issue mentioned that the majority of the Rwandan youth in the music are willing to become célèbre, this can confirm that the Rwandan youth are more active in the music industry in order to earn money despite the lack of talent.
Being in music industry helps the singers especially the youth to be out the problems they are facing with especially lack of job, and with music they are relaxing; as well as they don’t have  jobs, they want to explore their free time taking music in consideration.
If the Rwandan youth are in the music industry as the way of escaping the problems they are facing with, as the way of expressing their views so the government must support them and protect their products so that they can be valued, if not this career of music can’t improve any things for their talents and their career of music industry.
In nutshell the hypotheses settled before developing the article are related to each other, the youth are in the music so that they can become célèbre and get money, they are in the music in order to explore their free time as relaxing also escaping the problem they are facing with and finally they are in music in order to express their views of lack of job; simply we can resume those causes of being more active in music industry for the Rwandan youth to lack of job. The objective of this paper is to analyse the causes which force the Rwandan youth to be more active in music industry, in order to clarify and give the accurate hypothesis, the deeper research is needed and I hope this paper will open the door to the researcher and it will empower them with the questions and analysis done at this paper; this analysis didn’t consult many people especially the musician but the discussion with many other people who loves the music especially the youth.
you can download a copy of this document in PDF format from this link: 
http://eprints.campuce.org/33/4/RWANDAN_YOUTH_IN_THE_DEVELOPMENT_OF_MUSIC_INDUSTRY.pdf

  Prepared By Jean Paul
On 28th May 2012


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Thursday, May 17, 2012

GOOD ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE,GOOD POLITICAL GOVERNANCE AND THE LINK (CONNECTION) BETWEEN THEM


I. INTRODUCTION
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been at the forefront of the growing international consensus that good governance and sustainable good economic governance (human development) are indivisible. And we believe that developing the capacity for good governance can be - and should be - the primary way to eliminate poverty. Notions of good governance and the link between governance and sustainable good economic governance (human development) vary greatly, however, both in academic literature and among development practitioners.
Economic growth is a means to sustainable human development - not an end in itself. Human Development Report 1996 showed that economic growth does not automatically lead to sustainable human development and the elimination of poverty. For example, countries that do well when ranked by per capita income often slip down the ladder when ranked by the human development index. There are, moreover, marked disparities within countries - rich and poor alike - and these become striking when human development among indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities is evaluated separately.
Good governance is considered synonymous with sound development management. However, economic governance of national state is facing serious problems because its traditional sovereignty over economic affairs has been imperceptibly eroded to other levels of world economy.  Globalization represents a growing constraint on countries to utilize their own country specific national policies which can be overridden by the power of foreign government and foreign based multinational corporations.  As a result, the search for effective governance has to proceed at the institutional and territorial levels, in addition to the nation state. 
II. GOOD ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE
So, what is sustainable good economic governance (human development)?
We define human development as expanding the choices for all people in society. This means that men and women - particularly the poor and vulnerable - are at the centre of the development process. It also means "protection of the life opportunities of future generations...and...the natural systems on which all life depends" (UNDP, Human Development Report 1996). This makes the central purpose of development the creation of an enabling environment in which all can enjoy long, healthy and creative lives[1].
There are five aspects to sustainable good economic governance( human development) - all affecting the lives of the poor and vulnerable: 
  • Empowerment - The expansion of men and women's capabilities and choices increases their ability to exercise those choices free of hunger, want and deprivation. It also increases their opportunity to participate in, or endorse, decision-making affecting their lives.
  • Co-operation - With a sense of belonging important for personal fulfillment, well-being and a sense of purpose and meaning, human development is concerned with the ways in which people work together and interact.
  • Equity - The expansion of capabilities and opportunities means more than income - it also means equity, such as an educational system to which everybody should have access.
  • Sustainability - The needs of this generation must be met without compromising the right of future generations to be free of poverty and deprivation and to exercise their basic capabilities.
  • Security - Particularly the security of livelihood. People need to be freed from threats, such as disease or repression and from sudden harmful disruptions in their lives.
UNDP focuses on four critical elements of sustainable good economic governance( human development): eliminating poverty, creating jobs and sustaining livelihoods, protecting and regenerating the environment, and promoting the advancement of women. Developing the capacities for good governance underpins all these objectives.
Good economic governance, including transparency in financial management, is an essential pre-requisite for promoting economic growth and reducing poverty.
Mindful of this, there are five key objectives pursued:
1.      Promote macroeconomic policies that support sustainable development
2.      Implement transparent, predictable and credible government economic policies
3.      Promote sound public finance management
4.      Fight corruption and money laundering
5.      Accelerate regional integration by participating in the harmonization of monetary, trade and investment policies amongst the participating states
The slow economic growth in developing and transitional economy countries and its negative global implications has alerted the international financial organizations to promote and implement action oriented responses to enable these countries to enhance financial resources mobilization and their efficient, effective and rational utilization to achieve sustainable economic development with social justice[2].
An important constituent of economic governance – public expenditure management has its approaches and recommendations solidly anchored on the economic, social, and administrative and implementation capacity realities of the country concerned.  With a view to ensuring that the government’s financial resources are used lawfully, efficiently and effectively and with transparency and accountability, it would be necessary to devise strategic method of public financial management and control.
There is widespread awareness that lack of accountability, good governance and transparency in government operations hinder the progress towards sustainable economic development.  Traditionally, international financial organizations have advised member countries to pursue sound economic policies – policies that promote growth through low inflation, sound and prudent monetary and fiscal policies and a sustainable balance of payments position.  Presently, in the context of changed economic environment, it is necessary to broaden the scope of the economic policies to include other elements, popularly known as “second generation reforms” which are considered vital for economic growth and financial stability, namely:
1.      Reduction in extravagant and unproductive government expenditure;
2.      Higher spending on primary health and education; and adequate social protection for the poor, the unemployed and other vulnerable underserved sections of the society;
3.      The creation of a more level playing field for the private sector activity, by increasing the openness, stepping up the privatization process, reducing the power of monopolies through appropriate legal and administrative measures, and setting up more transparent and simpler legal and regulatory systems and frameworks;
4.      Stronger banking sector which protects small savers and other depositors, and reduce risks for shareholders and creditors by enforcing stricter prudential standards and information disclosure requirements;
5.      Reform of tax systems to make them more efficient, effective, equitable and fairly comprehensible; and
6.      Greater transparency and accountability in government and corporate affairs. These elements could be considered to constitute the basic framework of good economic governance.
One of the major problems before the developing countries and the transitional economies   is to create a conducive economic environment for economic growth and social progress.  Each country must ascertain and evaluate its stock of natural, physical and financial resources and formulate its strategy for economic growth on the basis of its ability for capacity building, resource mobilisation, strengthening of the institutional framework and administrative capability.  There should be positive steps taken to promote private sector development by creating conducive atmosphere for its nurture and healthy growth.  Wherever possible, attempts should be made to encourage and foster private-public sector partnership and establish adequate legal and regulatory framework to provide a level-playing field to both public and private sectors of the economy.    Economic governance consists of the entire institutional framework of the government engaged in the evolution and implementation of the general economic policy in all its manifestations affecting its internal and international economic relations. Economic governance would also necessitate evolving on a permanent basis harmonious fiscal, monetary and trade policies and establishment of a monitoring authority for effective co-ordination between different economic activities. In the interest of decentralisation of functions, the central bank of the country should be endowed with a great deal of autonomy and authority to implement monetary policy as recent experiences of the developed countries have shown. Wherever there is an independent planning authority entrusted with medium and long-term planning of the national resources, there is further necessity for close coordination with such planning authority. 
Effective economic governance, in this context, would seek to evolve well structures, harmonious and complementary fiscal, monetary and trade policies and establishment of monitoring and regulatory authorities for promotion and coordination of difference economic activities.
III. GOOD POLITICAL GOVERNANCE
This thematic area ensures that the respective national constitutions reflect the democratic ethos and provide for demonstrably accountable governance, and that political representation is promoted, thus providing for all citizens to participate in the political process in a free and fair political environment.
The aim is to enforce strict adherence to the position of the African Union (AU) on unconstitutional changes of government and other decisions of our continental organization aimed at promoting democracy, good governance.
What, then, is governance? And what is good governance?
The challenge for all societies is to create a system of governance that promotes, supports and sustains human development - especially for the poorest and most marginal. But the search for a clearly articulated concept of governance has just begun.
Governance can be seen as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country's affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences.
Good governance is, among other things, participatory, transparent and accountable. It is also effective and equitable. And it promotes the rule of law. Good governance ensures that political, social and economic priorities are based on broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development resources.
Governance has three legs: economic, political and administrative. Economic governance includes decision-making processes that affect a country's economic activities and its relationships with other economies. It clearly has major implications for equity, poverty and quality of life. Political governance is the process of decision-making to formulate policy. Administrative governance is the system of policy implementation. Encompassing all three, good governance defines the processes and structures that guide political and socio-economic relationships.
Governance encompasses the state, but it transcends the state by including the private sector and civil society organisations. What constitutes the state is widely debated. Here, the state is defined to include political and public sector institutions. UNDP's primary interest lies in how effectively the state serves the needs of its people. The private sector covers private enterprises (manufacturing, trade, banking, cooperatives and so on) and the informal sector in the marketplace. Some say that the private sector is part of civil society. But the private sector is separate to the extent that private sector players influence social, economic and political policies in ways that create a more conducive environment for the marketplace and enterprises. 
Civil society, lying between the individual and the state, comprises individuals and groups (organised or unorganised) interacting socially, politically and economically - regulated by formal and informal rules and laws. 
Civil society organisations are the host of associations around which society voluntarily organises. They include trade unions; non-governmental organisations; gender, language, cultural and religious groups; charities; business associations; social and sports clubs; cooperatives and community development organisations; environmental groups; professional associations; academic and policy institutions; and media outlets. Political parties are also included, although they straddle civil society and the state if they are represented in parliament.
The institutions of governance in the three domains (state, civil society and the private sector) must be designed to contribute to sustainable human development by establishing the political, legal, economic and social circumstances for poverty reduction, job creation, environmental protection and the advancement of women.
Much has been written about the characteristics of efficient government, successful businesses and effective civil society organisations, but the characteristics of good governance defined in societal terms remain elusive. The characteristics of good governance are[3]:
  • Participation - All men and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom of association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively.
  • Rule of law - Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights.
  • Transparency - Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them.
  • Responsiveness - Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders.
  • Consensus orientation - Good governance mediates differing interests to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interests of the group and, where possible, on policies and procedures.
  • Equity - All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.
  • Effectiveness and efficiency - Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of resources.
  • Accountability - Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organisations are accountable to the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs depending on the organisation and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation. 
  • Strategic vision - Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and human development, along with a sense of what is needed for such development. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that perspective is grounded.
Interrelated, these core characteristics are mutually reinforcing and cannot stand alone. For example, accessible information means more transparency, broader participation and more effective decision-making. Broad participation contributes both to the exchange of information needed for effective decision-making and for the legitimacy of those decisions. Legitimacy, in turn, means effective implementation and encourages further participation. And responsive institutions must be transparent and function according to the rule of law if they are to be equitable.
These core characteristics represent the ideal - and no society has them all. Even so, UNDP believes that societies should aim, through broad-based consensus-building, to define which of the core features are most important to them, what the best balance is between the state and the market, how each socio-cultural and economic setting can move from here to there.
UNDP is faced increasingly with post-crisis situations and disintegrating societies. For them, the issue is not developing good governance - it is building the basic institutions of governance. The first step is towards reconciliation - building society's ability to carry on a dialogue on the meaning of governance and the needs of all citizens.

Peace and security. It also aims at establishing and strengthening appropriate electoral administrations and oversight bodies in our respective countries, and providing the necessary resources and capacity to conduct elections that are free, fair and credible.
There are 9 key objectives in this thematic area:
1.      Prevent and reduce intra- and inter-country conflicts
2.      Constitutional democracy, including periodic political competition and opportunity for choice, the rule of law, a Bill of Rights and the supremacy of the constitution are firmly established in the constitution.
3.      Promote and protect economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights as enshrined in all African and international human rights instruments.
4.      Uphold the separation of powers, including the protection of the independence of the judiciary and of an effective Parliament
5.      Ensure accountable, efficient and effective public office holders and civil servants
6.      Fight corruption in the political sphere
7.      Promote and protect the rights of women
8.      Promote and protect the rights of the child and of young persons
9.      Promote and protect the rights of vulnerable groups, including displaced persons and refugees
 “Corruption” most often applied to abuse of public power by politicians and civil servants for personal gain, is motivated by greed and by the desire to retain or increase one’s power.  Controlling corruption has emerged as one of the most important concerns within the international community.  Corruption is a pervasive phenomenon which can be found in a wide spectrum of countries of vastly differing ideologies, economic conditions and social development.  There has been unmistakable attitudinal change towards corruption:  governments have become unable to conceal evidence of corrupt practices, level of public tolerance for corruption has declined and spread of democratic process affords less opportunity for practicing corruption.  Higher public investment, regimes of regulations and authorizations, higher taxes, trade restrictions, lower salaries of public officials and other discretionary powers wielded by public officials are the main causes of corruption developing and transitional economy countries should establish proper institutional framework for fighting corruption and enhance the morale of public officials by meeting out strict punishment to corrupt officials
CONCEPT OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
 Governance in broad terms signifies the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority to manage nation affairs comprising the complex range of mechanisms, processes, relationships and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise rights and obligations and mediate differences.  Governance is not the sole prerogative of the State but its functions could be assumed by or delegated to specified institutions and organizations in the private sector and the civil society.
Good governance has many characteristics. Good governance systems are participatory in that the members of governance institutions have a voice in the decision-making process based on democratic traditions.  The procedures and method of decision making reflect transparency to ensure effective participation.  The governance system aims at bringing about sustainable development. Good governance promotes equity and equality of treatment to all based on the concept of nondiscrimination. The basic consideration in good governance is being able to develop the resources and methods of governance. In the context of social development parameters, it promotes gender balance, promotes synthesis of diverse perspectives and mobilises resources for social purposes.
 Good governance strengthens indigenous mechanisms and ensures effective and efficient use of resources.  All civilised societies are based on rule of law which promotes good governance. Good governance engenders and commands respect and trust. 
 The persons entrusted with the task of taking decisions in government, private sector and civil society organisations have to be accountable for their actions to the members of public and institutional stakeholders. Governmental organisations have to be service oriented, responsive to the hopes and aspirations of the people, act as facilitative and enabling, regulatory rather than controlling, take ownership of solutions to national social problems and able to deal with temporal issues. 
IV. THE MAIN LINK BETWEEN GOOD ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE AND GOOD POLITICAL GOVERNANCE
  The reduction of the role of government in the economic sphere and the recognition of private sector as ‘engine of economic growth’ has meant that government has a new vital role in creating an effective legal and regulatory framework in which private sector will be enabled to operate.  The need to evolve basic principles and guidelines for ensuring effective economic governance in developing and transitional economy countries cannot be over emphasized[4].
The concept of governance in the context of promotion of sound and sustainable economic development comprises of efficient government, effective civil society and successful private sector.  Good governance is based on participatory and democratic traditions, promotion of equity and equality, gender balance and promotion of synthesis of diverse perspectives and mobilization of resources for social purposes, and in the final analysis based on the rule of law. 
The economic consequences of corruption are increased transactions costs and uncertainty, inefficient economic outcomes, undermines State’s legitimacy, hampers growth of competitiveness and affects the performance, integrity and effectiveness of government institutions.
Such organisms operate in a legal or policy framework defined by the State but having autonomous existence and exercise political, economic and administrative authority The concept of governance in the context of promotion of sustainable economic development comprises of the efficient government, effective civil society and successful private sector.

Relationships between governance and human development
Each domain of governance - the state, the private sector and civil society - has a unique role in promoting sustainable good economic governance (human development).
The state
In countries where electoral processes exist, the state is composed of an elected government and an executive branch. The state's functions are manifold - among them, being the focus of the social contract that defines citizenship, being the authority that is mandated to control and exert force, having responsibility for public services and creating an enabling environment for sustainable human development. The latter means establishing and maintaining stable, effective and fair legal-regulatory frameworks for public and private activity. It means ensuring stability and equity in the marketplace. It means mediating interests for the public good. And it means providing effective and accountable public services. In all four roles, the state faces a challenge - ensuring that good governance addresses the concerns and needs of the poorest by increasing the opportunities for people to seek, achieve and sustain the kind of life they aspire to.
The state, of course, can do much in such areas as upholding the rights of the vulnerable, protecting the environment, maintaining stable macroeconomic conditions, maintaining standards of public health and safety for all at an affordable cost, mobilizing resources to provide essential public services and infrastructure and maintaining order, security and social harmony.
State institutions can also empower the people they are meant to serve - providing equal opportunities and ensuring social, economic and political inclusion and access to resources. But people can be empowered only if their legislatures, electoral processes and legal and judicial systems work properly. Parliaments of freely and fairly elected members representing different parties are crucial to popular participation and government accountability. Effective legal and judicial systems protect the rule of law and the rights of all. Open elections mean public confidence and trust - and so political legitimacy. States should also decentralise political and economic systems to be more responsive to citizens' demands and to changing economic conditions.
In developed and developing countries alike, the state is being compelled to redefine its role in social and economic activity - to reduce it, reorient it, and reconfigure it. The pressures for change stem from three sources:
  • The private sector wants a more conducive market environment and a better balance between state and market.
  • Citizens want increased accountability and responsiveness from government, as well as greater decentralisation.
  • Global pressures from supranationals and worldwide social and economic trends are challenging the identity and nature of the state.
The private sector
The state is a big force for development - but it is not the only one. Sustainable human development depends in part on creating jobs that provide enough income to improve living standards. Most states now recognise that the private sector is the primary source of opportunities for productive employment. Economic globalisation is fundamentally changing the ways in which industries and enterprises operate. In many developing countries, private enterprise must be encouraged and supported to be more transparent and competitive in the international marketplace. 
Equitable growth, gender balance, environmental preservation, expansion of the private sector and responsible and effective participation in international commerce cannot be achieved by the market alone, however. States can foster private sector development that is sustainable by:
  • Creating a stable macroeconomic environment.
  • Maintaining competitive markets.
  • Ensuring that the poor (especially women) have easy access to credit.
  • Nurturing enterprises that generate the most jobs and opportunities.
  • Attracting investment and helping to transfer knowledge and technologies, particularly to the poor.
  • Enforcing the rule of law.
  • Providing incentives for human resource development.
  • Protecting the environment and natural resources.
Civil society
Civil society also has to protect the rights of all citizens. As the state and the private sector are being reshaped and their relationships redefined, civil society is changing in important ways. Unresponsive government and unrelenting economic and social pressure have undermined some traditional civil society organisations and strengthened others - and in many cases forced people to organise in new ways. Civil society is thus more than just society. It is the part of society that connects individuals with the public realm and the state - it is the political face of society.
Civil society organisations channel people's participation in economic and social activities and organise them into more powerful groups to influence public policies and gain access to public resources, especially for the poor. They can provide checks and balances on government power and monitor social abuses. They also offer opportunities for people to develop their capacities and improve their standards of living - by monitoring the environment, assisting the disadvantaged, developing human resources, helping communication among business people.
More fundamentally, civic networks ease the dilemmas of collective action by institutionalising social interaction, reducing opportunism, fostering trust and making political and economic transactions easier. Well-developed civic networks also amplify flows of information - the basis for reliable political, economic and social collaboration and public participation of civil society members. These relationships and social norms make up a nation's social capital.
Civil society organisations do not always pursue the qualities of good governance. Nor are they always the most effective development agents. That is why states, while recognising and protecting the democratic rights of civil society organisations, must also ensure that the rules of law and values that reflect societal norms are adhered to. Democratic institutions, particularly local ones, can be important in ensuring that all in society have a voice, as well as ensuring that there are transparent and fair ways to reach consensus.
Like private enterprises, civil society organisations need adequate capacities to fulfill their potential. They also need an enabling environment, including a legislative and regulatory framework that guarantees the right of association, incentives to facilitate support and ways for civil society organisations to be involved in public policy-making and implementation.
Strengthening the enabling environment for sustainable human development thus depends not only on a state that governs well and a private sector that provides jobs that generate income. It also depends on civil society organisations that make political and social interaction easier and that mobilise society to participate in economic, social and political activities.
The global context
The transformation from command to market-oriented economies, the emergence of democratic political regimes in the former Soviet Union, the rapid development and global proliferation of new technologies, the pervasive spread of telecommunications systems, the growing importance of knowledge-based industries and skills and the continuing integration of the world economy through trade and investment - all these have created the foundation for a new age of sustainable human development. But all carry risks as well. Is it to be a breakthrough or a breakdown? 
Changes in the world's economic, political and social systems have indeed brought unprecedented improvements in human living conditions in both developed and developing countries. Consider the profound breakthroughs in communications, transport, agriculture, medicine, genetic engineering, computerisation, environmentally friendly energy systems, political structures, peace settlements. The list goes on. 
But these changes also bring new uncertainties and challenges as the world steps into the 21st century. Signs of breakdown are everywhere: disintegration of families; destruction of indigenous societies; degradation and annihilation of plant and animal life; pollution of rivers, oceans and the atmosphere; crime, alienation and substance abuse; higher unemployment; and a widening gap in incomes and capabilities. Not a pretty picture.
The trend towards globalisation deserves special attention. It is manifest in the growth of regional blocs that cooperate in such areas as trade and legal frameworks, in the power of intergovernmental bodies such as the World Trade Organization and in the spread of transnational corporations. Globalisation has profound implications for governance the final impact of which we cannot yet determine. First is the increasing marginalisation of certain population groups. Those who do not have access to the technological/information revolution are in danger of becoming part of a structural underclass. Second is the erosion of state sovereignty as transnational bodies increasingly mediate national concerns and press for universal laws. Third is the increased globalisation of social and economic problems, such as crime, narcotics, infectious diseases and the migration of labour. Finally, international capital and trade are decreasingly accountable to sovereign states.
Governance can no longer be considered a closed system. The state's task is to find a balance between taking advantage of globalisation and providing a secure and stable social and economic domestic environment, particularly for the most vulnerable. Globalisation is also placing governments under greater scrutiny, leading to improved state conduct and more responsible economic policies.
Because each domain of governance - state, private sector, civil society - has strengths and weaknesses, the pursuit of good governance requires greater interaction among the three to define the right balance among them for sustainable people-centred development. Given that change is continuous, the ability for the three domains to continuously interact and adjust must be built-in, thus allowing for long-term stability. UNDP's Initiatives for Change recognises that the relationships among government, civil society and the private sector:
Are key determinants in whether a nation is able to create and sustain equitable opportunities for all of its people. If a government does not function efficiently and effectively, scarce resources will be wasted. If it does not have legitimacy in the eyes of the people, it will not be able to achieve its goals or theirs. If it is unable to build national consensus around these objectives, no external assistance can help bring them about. If it is unable to foster a strong social fabric, the society risks disintegration and chaos. Equally important, if people are not empowered to take responsibility for their own development within an enabling framework provided by government, development will not be sustainable.
Developing countries must ensure that everyone can participate in economic and social development and take advantage of globalisation. They must build a political system that encourages government, political, business and civic leaders to articulate and pursue objectives that are centred around people and a system that promotes public consensus on these objectives[5]. 

Prepared by Jean Paul
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