Abstract: Since the beginning of the new century, the poverty in Africa has appeared with new characteristics, i. e. the problems of the economic growth co-existing with extreme poverty become increasingly prominent. Making great efforts to cast off poverty in Africa is not only a demand of African self-development, but also an urgent developing demand of the world as a whole. The origin of the obstacles to casting off poverty in Africa could be traced in the history of colonial rule, improper government management and inequality of international trade order, each with its own reason, but none of them hit the point and could not fundamentally solve the problem. The key to casting off poverty in Africa lies in self-development. Recently, regional cooperative organizations, headed by the AU raised demands about formulating the unifying social policies in fighting against poverty. The organizations have made new probe into main social policy fields as social protect, construction of employment and labor market, education and health, etc., which can be considered as a essential critical step towards the way of self-development for the Africa. No doubt, the step is with profound policy significance for the Africa casting off poverty in the nearest future.

Key words: new century, Africa, obstacles to casting off poverty, social policy