Africa's new generation of enlightened leaders have promulgated an initiative to spur growth and reduce poverty on the continent. Entitled the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), it is couched within five core principles-good governance; entrenchment of democracy, peace and security; sound economic policy-making and execution; productive partnerships; and domestic ownership and leadership-which are seen as the preconditions for Africa's renewal. This article analytically describes and assesses the NEPAD initiative, and the challenges to be confronted for its successful implementation as the road map guiding the journey to make the twenty-first century one of peace, democracy, development, and prosperity for Africa. DURING THE PAST DECADE AND BEYOND, AFRICA HAS BEEN DESCRIBED by various authors as a continent betrayed, in chaos, in self-destruction, in crisis, existing in name only, being predatory or kleptocratic, or collapsed into anarchy and viciousness. 1 These are but a few of the colourful negative images painted about a region that, up to now, seemed to have lacked the capacity and willingness to come to grips with the need to develop, own, and implement a sustained policy and institutional environment conducive to, among other things, good governance, entrenchment of democracy, peace and security, growth and development, and poverty reduction. Of course, all of the negative images have been, and, in many ways, continue to be, accurate. However, a new generation of enlightened African leaders has now decided to stake Africa's claim to the twenty-first century. In that 387