The United Nations General Assembly late last year proclaimed the year 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent. The Assembly rightly noted  that people of African descent ought to participate and be integrated in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and develop  greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture.

Whereas this move is positive, it remains to be seen how the UN will dissuade developed countries from contributing to Africa’s socio-political and economic imbroglio through skewed trade policies, support of militia groups to facilitate plunder of Africa’s resources and outright destabilizing of African governments.

The current wave of unrest in African countries is a pointer that African citizens have been ignored for far too long by a few elites and want to be in charge of their affairs. Africa’s economic experts have dwelt on developing the physical infrastructure or “hardware” at the expense of  the people or “software.”  However, the rising voice of dissent in Tunisia and Egypt demonstrates  that development that lacks a human face is counterproductive.

The UN declaration will be meaningless if the  international community  does  its  part while Africa’s leaders continue to push  the electorate away from  the centre of development. Africa must adopt  a  people-centered development where  sovereignty resides with  people, the real social actors of positive change;  people  control their own resources, have access to relevant information, and have the means to hold the officials of government accountable; and the value of the outsider’s contribution is measured in terms of the enhanced capacity of the people to determine their own future.