REFLECTIONS ON AFRICAN FUTURES STUDIES

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the World Bank, has begun a project to promote national long-term perspec tive studies (NLTPS) for all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is an important topic in view of the present concerns about the extent of famines and hunger in this part of Africa, and the widespread pessimi sm about the possibilities for sustained 'development' in Africa. This article reflects on earlier efforts by the World Futures Studies Fede ration (WFSF), also under the auspices of UNDP, to prepare images of A frican futures, constructed by Africans, and considers some ways in wh ich futures studies, including those of the WFSF, the World Bank and t he Club of Rome, lend themselves to the manipulation of the developmen t of other peoples.