Sustainable Development in Western Anglophone Africa

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1.1 Purpose

1.2 Hypothesis

1.3 Research design

2 EVOLUTION OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

2.1 The interface of environmental sustainability and development

2.2 Linkages between human well-being and the environment

2.2.1 Environmental Sustainability Index

2.2.2 Human Development Index

2.3 Historic evolution of sustainable development

2.3.1 United Nations Environmental Programme

2.3.2 Note on the Kyoto Protocol

2.3.3 Introducing sustainability to economics

2.4 Defining corruption

2.4.1 Grand corruption

2.4.2 Petty corruption

2.4.3 Isolated and systemic corruption

2.4.4 Forms of corruption

2.5 Corruption and sustainable development in Africa

2.5.1 Primary causes for prevailing corruption

2.5.2 Additional options for the fight against corruption

3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC SETTING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

3.1 Developing countries

3.2 Least developed countries

3.3 Economic outline

3.3.1 Note on the Kimberley Process

3.4 International commitments to development

3.4.1 Combating corruption

3.4.2 Modes to financing

3.5 Political scene

4 WESTERN ANGLOPHONE AFRICA

4.1 Geography

4.2 Culture

4.3 Historic backgrounds

4.3.1 Slave trade and chieftaincy

4.4 Economy

4.5 Regional organizations

4.6 Present regional concerns

4.6.1 Promoting the implementation of anti-corruption institutions

5 COUNTRY SPECIFIC OVERVIEW

5.1 Republic of Ghana

5.1.1 History

5.1.2 Society

5.1.3 Politics

5.1.4 Natural resources and related international agreements

5.1.5 Economic overview

5.2 Republic of the Gambia

5.2.1 History

5.2.2 Society

5.2.3 Politics

5.2.4 Topical incidents

5.2.5 Natural resources and related international agreements

5.2.6 Economic overview

5.3 Republic of Liberia

5.3.1 History

5.3.2 Society

5.3.3 Politics

5.3.4 Natural resources and related international agreements

5.3.5 Economic overview

5.4 Federal Republic of Nigeria

5.4.1 History

5.4.2 Society

5.4.3 Politics

5.4.4 Natural resources and related international agreements

5.4.5 Economic overview

5.5 Sierra Leone

5.5.1 History

5.5.2 Society

5.5.3 Politics

5.5.4 Natural resources and related international agreements

5.5.5 Economic overview

6 INTERNATIONAL FORAS WITH FOCUS ON FORESTS

6.1 United Nations Forum on Forests

6.2 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

6.2.1 18th session of the Committee on Forestry in 2007

6.3 Collaborative Partnership on Forests

6.4 International Tropical Timber Organization

6.5 African Timber Organisation

6.6 African Forestry and Wildlife Commission

7 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

7.1 Evaluation

7.2 Importance of gender

7.3 Local systems of land appropriation

7.3.1 Land and related rights in Africa

7.3.2 Land reform

8 LAND TENURE AND THE FORESTRY SECTOR IN GHANA

8.1 IMF, World Bank and structural adjustment

8.2 Forestry sector and land rights

8.2.1 Post war period - ideological change

8.2.2 Structural adjustment in the forestry sector

8.3 Collaborative forestry

8.3.1 Swiss Lumber Company

8.3.2 Positive effects by this collaborative timber management

8.3.3 Ghana Primewoods Products Ltd.

8.3.4 Positive impact of the sustainable forest agriculture project

8.4 Trends in the new legislation

8.5 A summary of periodic changes in the land question

9 THE FORESTRY SECTOR IN LIBERIA

9.1 Legislation in the forest sector

9.1.1 Forest Policy Review: Towards Vision 2024

9.1.2 Strategic Commodities Act

9.1.3 The logging ban’s contribution to an augment in illegal operations

9.2 Progress in forest management

9.3 The Liberian selective logging system

10 LINKAGES BETWEEN ILLEGALITY AND CORRUPTION

10.1 Methods to achieve implementation and law enforcement in the forest sector

10.1.1 Enhancing the institutional capacity for forest law enforcement

10.1.2 Availability of data and knowledge

11 IMPLEMENTATION AND ACHIEVABILITY OF MDG 7

11.1 Development of productive capacities

11.1.1 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

11.1.2 United Nations Industrial Development Organization

11.2 Diversification in wood exports

11.3 Development of a global partnership for development

12 CONCLUSION

12.1 Summarized observations

12.2 Globalization’s impact on the viability of MDG 7

Objectives & Core Topics

The work examines the relationship between political corruption and the viability of achieving Millennium Development Goal 7, which focuses on environmental sustainability through forest management in Western Anglophone Africa, specifically Ghana and Liberia.

• The link between corruption and sustainable forest management.
• Political instability and economic management in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Assessment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the West African region.
• Case studies on land tenure and forestry sectors in Ghana and Liberia.
• Strategies for enhancing governance and sustainable resource management.

Excerpt from the book

Summary of Chapters

1 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Introduces the thesis's purpose, research design, and core hypothesis linking environmental and political challenges in West Africa.

2 EVOLUTION OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: Discusses the emergence of the MDGs, sustainable development concepts, and the role of corruption in obstructing development.

3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC SETTING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: Analyzes the economic, political, and institutional landscape of the region, including international development commitments.

4 WESTERN ANGLOPHONE AFRICA: Details the geography, culture, historical backgrounds, and current regional concerns of the selected countries.

5 COUNTRY SPECIFIC OVERVIEW: Provides detailed data on Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone regarding their history, politics, and natural resources.

6 INTERNATIONAL FORAS WITH FOCUS ON FORESTS: Outlines the roles of various international organizations dedicated to forest policy and management.

7 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT: Examines principles of sustainable forestry, including the roles of gender and land tenure systems.

8 LAND TENURE AND THE FORESTRY SECTOR IN GHANA: Evaluates the historical and current land rights and forestry policies in Ghana.

9 THE FORESTRY SECTOR IN LIBERIA: Reviews the legislative and management framework for forestry in Liberia.

10 LINKAGES BETWEEN ILLEGALITY AND CORRUPTION: Discusses the connection between illegal timber trade, forest crime, and corruption mechanisms.

11 IMPLEMENTATION AND ACHIEVABILITY OF MDG 7: Analyzes the feasibility of achieving the environmental targets of the MDGs by 2015.

12 CONCLUSION: Summarizes findings and provides final observations on the viability of sustainable development in the region.

Keywords

Sustainable development, Millennium Development Goals, Corruption, West Africa, Ghana, Liberia, Forestry, Land tenure, Environmental policy, Economic growth, Governance, Resource management, Illegal logging, Poverty reduction, International agreements

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this thesis?

The thesis investigates the intersection of corruption and environmental management, specifically focusing on the viability of Millennium Development Goal 7 in Western Anglophone Africa.

Which countries are analyzed in the case studies?

The work provides detailed case studies on Ghana and Liberia, with a broader regional overview covering The Gambia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

What is the primary goal regarding MDG 7?

The primary goal is to examine how environmental sustainability—specifically in forest management—is hindered by corruption and weak institutional frameworks.

What research methodology is applied?

The research utilizes a hermeneutic approach, combining extensive primary and secondary literature with the author's firsthand observations in the region.

What are the major thematic pillars discussed?

Key themes include the evolution of global development goals, socio-economic and political challenges in Africa, forest sector governance, land tenure systems, and the impact of corruption on economic and environmental outcomes.

Which concepts are used to define the nature of corruption in this context?

The work categorizes corruption into types such as grand, petty, isolated, and systemic, while also exploring various forms like bribery, embezzlement, and extortion.

How did the 1992 UNCED impact current environmental forestry discussions in the region?

The UNCED placed forests on the international agenda, but the region still struggles with implementing these international norms due to lack of local capacity and institutional corruption.

What is the specific role of 'invented traditions' in the context of land tenure?

The author argues that leaders and elites often invoke or reinvent "traditions" regarding land ownership and chiefdom powers to maintain control over resources to the detriment of local populations and forest sustainability.