Summary (English)

Drawing upon the strategic objectives of the AUC social programme, and within the context of its objectives of promoting sustainable development, the SPF aims to provide an overarching policy structure to assist African Union Member States to strengthen and give increasing priority to their national social policies and hence promote human empowerment and development. The framework treats social development as subordinate to economic growth, but justifies social development as a goal in its own right. It acknowledges that while economic growth is a necessary condition of social development, it is not exclusively or sufficiently able to address the challenges posed by the multi-faceted socio-economic and political forces that together generate the continent’s social development challenges.