It means that the international community can help Africa regain control over its own affairs, fly by its own wings, etc. Africa will no longer be dependant; it will become independent.

I hope this helps.
Best,
Jocelyne

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Note added at 13 mins (2009-04-22 11:37:15 GMT)
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"To empower Africa" (or to re-empower Africa) would be another way to say it.

The international community will provide assistance/aid/support but it will then be up to Africa to pick up the ball and run with it

Any aid given will only be the first stage: Africa will then have to assume ownership

The international community will help Africa take over its own development.

Just another possibility

empowerment is usually used for "émancipation, autnonomisation" and that's what it means in this sentence

I don't think "self-determination" necessarily means "political self-determination" = independence. It could also be "economic and developmental self-determination", and not necessarily refer to casting aside the multinationals despoiling the continent, since I think "determination" can be the (positive) aspect of taking one's future into one's own hands", not necessarily the "negative" side involving uprisings and bloody massacres as "political (and even economic) self-determination" would probably involve.

On the other hand, the imperatives of Africa’s development mean that the continent is constantly in search of a formula for greater SELF-REALISATION, EVEN SELF-DETERMINATION. The tempo with which the quest for self-realisation has been pursued has fluctuated from one period to another even as the European concern to maintain a determinant role and influence has remained constant, only changing in its nuances and sophistication over time
www.africa-union.org/root/AU/AUC/Departments/BCP/CIDO/.../A...

African People’s DEVELOPMENT Project
APDP = African SELF DETERMINATION!
• APDP is not charity!
• FOR AFRICAN PEOPLE BY AFRICAN PEOPLE
• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT throughout
• Technical, social and political objectives
bie.berkeley.edu/files/docs/African%20People's%20Development%20Project.pdf

towards Africa by allowing so many of us to have SELF-REALISATION; ... One Response to “ Sahaja Yoga Africa website development - a message of gratitude ...
www.sahajafrica.net/wordpress/?p=1098

Africa is in serious need of economic development, defined as the improvement in ... path to SELF-REALISATION AND PLENITUDE follows and grows through hope, ...
www.rncalliance.org/WebRoot/rncalliance/Shops/.../Shepherd_...

Self-realisation, to me at least, implies "doing things oneself".

Personally I quite like "self-appropriation" which I take to imply "taking responsibility for doing things oneself". Nuance!


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Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-22 12:44:09 GMT)
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Or, to pick up on a business/human resources fad that has probably gone out of fashion in recent years, "(SELF-)RESPONSIBILIZATION".

"owernership" is another recent buzz word in international aid conference speak. It is grounded in the concept of "ownership" of output in aid project design. Its standard equivalent in French is **appropriation**. Do not be misled by this faux-ami and avoid any kind of "appropriation" in English.

Check what "self-ownership" mean using google. There is useful description of the concept in Wikipedia

The ownership of any project outputs is germane with the notion of "socialization" of a project, meaning the outputs or outcomes of any aid programme in Africa must be "taken up" by African nations and community of nations.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-04-22 14:13:16 GMT)
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I add that I have translated several speeches for TICAD IV held last year in Yokohama.

You may consider changing the heading of your question to "Int. Cooperation"

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Note added at 9 hrs (2009-04-22 21:23:55 GMT)
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To Jocelyn : In diplomacy, as much as in serious translation work, "the basic gist" of things is not enough; if it were, there would be no need for a Kudoz and no need for serious, professional translation work either. We obviiously do not agree on that.

Hello,

à l'appropriaton de = adapté à

.− [L'idée dominante est celle d'adaptation] Action d'adapter quelque chose à un usage déterminé.
1. Vx. Action de rendre propre. Appropriation d'une chambre.


http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/appropriation

I hope this helps.