Promoting Africa’s growth and economic development by championing citizen inclusion and increased cooperation and integration of African states.
Promoting Africa’s growth and economic development by championing citizen inclusion and increased cooperation and integration of African states.
Agenda 2063 is the blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance.
H.E President William Samoei Ruto (PhD), President of the Republic of Kenya and the African Union Champion on Institutional Reform. H.E. Ruto was appointed during the 37th Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2024 to champion the AU Institutional Reform process taking over from the H.E Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda who led the implementation of the reform process since 2016.
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Welcoming Remarks by H. E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission at the Opening Ceremony of the Senior Officials of AGOA Forum, 09 August, 2013
Statement by H.E. Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs, African Union Commission, at the Constitutive Conference of African Political Parties, Khartoum, Sudan,
27 April 2013
Closing Remarks by H.E. Dr. Mustapha S. Kaloko,
Commissioner for Social Affairs at The International Conference on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa, 03 August 2013
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Protocol
For three consecutive days, we have had the opportunity to meet in parallel and plenary sessions in the halls of this facility. For three successive days, we have had the privilege to learn from member states as well as from our various partners that conscious and determined efforts on our part can make a difference in the lives of both mother and child.
We have also agreed these past days that tremendous gains have been made in the last two decades to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates on the continent. At the same time, we have not failed to admit that those gains have not been considerable enough to meet the required targets of the MDGs. Not meeting the targets of the MDGs, we have all concurred, has not been for lack of adequate policy prescriptions or paucity of ideas, decisions, declarations and frameworks. To the contrary, we have had enough of them and have never been in short supply. What we have perhaps lacked has been the impetus to ensure more action on the ground and to implement what we already have.
It was against this background that this conference was initially conceived: to work toward consummating the gains we have made, to strive together to ensure that the tangibles and deliverables are right where they are needed and to map out together a pragmatic and a focused strategy or action-oriented plan to end the woes, the pains and to sorrows of a mother losing her child or yet still, that same mother going through terrible nightmares of pains, injuries and eventual death while giving life.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
We now have an action plan and we must implement it.
We must implement it because the future of our continent, its inspirations and aspirations of greatness, at peace with itself and in control of its own destiny are hinged on our efforts to strengthen the foundation of our very existence: investing in maternal and child health.
For us in the African Union Commission, we have a strong feeling and belief that fifty years of our struggles have given us fifty years of experience. Experience of what policies have worked and what policies have failed and building on that experience, we want to make the next fifty years a different fifty years: A fifty years of victory and greatness.
This is why we have embarked on a conscious effort of consultations and diligent planning of the future of the continent, which will come out in Agenda 2063.
We must know now where we want to be in the next fifty years and we must prepare for it.
We must foresee the next fifty years from a holistic and pragmatic perspective and deal with it in like manner rather than the disjointed and distorted perspectives of the past fifty years where initiative and ownership were largely absent and where we were told how to do it, when and on what terms without our inputs.
What will aid us to prepare for it, lies first with our member states. In our experience, we have come to know too well the tremendous powers of advocacy and the remarkable force that lies in the collective political will of member states. Moreover, whenever we have had the fortitude, the focus and the conscious determination to align the powers of advocacy with the continent’s political will, we have always won
We have seen that countless times and we have had the pleasure to witness it during the last three days. We appreciate it and we must use it to our advantage in MNCH and in our holistic approach to overcome other continental challenges.
At this moment and on this podium, let me seize the opportunity to thank our member states for participating in this very important conference and for showing us the direction we should take in our future endeavours and interventions on MNCH.
On behalf of the African Union Commission, I would like to take this opportunity to express our profound thanks and sincere appreciation to His Excellency President Jacob Zuma, the Government and people of the Republic of South Africa for co-hosting this important conference with the African Union Commission; a role they have played so well during the past three days which is a picturesque demonstration of remarkable leadership and ardent political will.
To our partners, we have often emphasized in the commission that partnership at all levels is important, intrinsic and worth preserving. We have never forgotten that. Even in our bid to generate and own our own narratives, to mobilize domestic and international funding, provide lifesaving commodities, attain universal health coverage and to move beyond 2015 in the realization of our goals as will be set out in Agenda 63, we need your expertise, your collective experience, resources and guidance. For by working with you our partners, with partners who truly understand our problems, who genuinely seek to assist us as well as respect our views, cultural norms and the values we cherish, we all win.
You our partners have indeed demonstrated that many times and have followed us in our drive to reach and meet the needs of our citizens. And here in Birchwood, in this landmark conference, you have in the last three days shown the depth of that partnership by not merely joining us, but by providing the required expertise and experience in enriching and making this conference a success.
To that end, let me thank UNFPA for the efforts, the commitments and the resources mobilized to complement our own endeavours and for the success of this conference. We acknowledge with gratitude and ceaseless appreciation your endearing and enduring ambition to resolve the critical issues of MNCH on the continent. We thank DFID for their support, we also recognize and commend the enormous technical inputs of WHO and we salute them for that. We are more than grateful to UNAIDS, USAID, UNICEF, APHRH, ACHEST, SAVE THE CHILDREN, AFRIDEV, UN WOMEN, IPAS, PMNCH, SAFAIDS, ADVOCACY INTERNATIONAL, AFRICA FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE, IPPF, RBM, GAVI, RMNCH and many of our other partners who have contributed in diverse ways toward the success of this conference.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me remind all present, and let the message reach out to all Africans and partners, that the Mama Afrika Awards, which was launched on Thursday by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Madam Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, is here to stay. It is here to stay to serve as an impetus as well as a reward for those who have worked so hard and are still investing in MNCH. We look forward to receiving your nominations in favour of this prestigious continental award.
Finally, let me emphasize here that success in any human endeavour, is the preserve of those who persevere.
In our implementation of this Plan of Action let us stay the course with single- mindedness to see it through. Let us now return to our capitals, rural and urban communities, and for those of us in international and non-governmental organizations, civil societies and other partners, to our duty stations to ensure the implementation of our Birchwood Plan of Action.
Let us do so for the sake of our mothers, our sisters, our children and for the prosperity and future prospects of this great continent: the cradle of humanity and human civilization.
I thank you.
STATEMENT BY H.E. Dr. Nkosazana C. Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission to the
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH
Johannesburg, South Africa. 1 – 3 AUGUST 2013
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed an honour for me to address the International Conference Maternal, Newborn and Child Health on behalf of the Commission of the African Union, in our effort to promote the health and welfare of women and children in Africa. A word of thanks to the President, Government and People of South Africa for hosting this conference with us.
Soon after its inception in October last year, the current Commission of the African Union agreed on eight priorities on which to focus special attention. Foremost among these priorities is the development of Africa’s human capital. Africa’s most important resource is its people, there can therefore be no African Renaissance if thousands of women die every year giving birth and when our most precious and vulnerable, infants and children are not able to grow up and reach their full potential. Indeed, this is a priority and we have therefore no choice, but to implement with speed the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (CARMMA).
This international conference on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health is, therefore, both timely and important because, before we can even talk about development of our human capital, those humans must be born and nurtured through a safe and wholesome childhood.
As we all know the health status/condition of a child, as well as its odds for survival and prospects to grow and develop, does not begin at birth. Rather, it starts way before with family planning choices and the health and nutrition status of the mother.
This requires the deepening of our quest for women’s empowerment by strengthening our health systems, entrenching women’s reproductive rights and the care and rights of children.
Our starting point at this conference should, therefore, be: What can we do together - governments, communities, civil society, and the private sector to ensure that women have choices, have universal access to family planning services and are educated about when t hey have children, the spacing of their children and the choice on the number of children they have? How do we ensure that expectant mothers have the necessary nutritional and health needs to be able to carry and deliver healthy and nutritionally balanced babies?
The second issue of focus should be how we can facilitate safe delivery by the expectant mothers. Far too many women in Africa needlessly die in the process of child birth. The causes for this include lack of access to proper prenatal care during pregnancy and to health facilities during child birth; inadequate trained or too few medical staff such as birth attendants, midwives, nurses and doctors; lack of essential and life-saving drugs and life support equipment in health facilities; and lack of information in basic life-saving techniques among traditional birth attendants, to name just a few.
The third area of concern for this conference should be the provision of care for the mother and child, especially in the immediate post-delivery period. This is a period of extreme fragility and danger for many new mothers and babies and many lives are lost due to birth and post-birth complications.
Fourthly, the conference should address issues related to sustaining the life of the newborn and its health care, encouraging breast feeding, general nutritional needs, during the child’s critical development stage from birth up to the age of five years. Besides the in-hospital medical care before and after birth, including post-natal visits, it is important to address the challenges posed by the home environment to the life, health and well-being of both mother and child. This includes access to safe drinking water and sanitation; vaccinations against various childhood diseases, malaria and HIV prevention and treatment, among others.
Finally, since teenage mothers are disproportionally represented when it comes to maternal and infant mortality, we have to pay special attention to empowerment of girls and women, ensure that girls remain in school until completion, discourage early pregnancy and outlaw child marriages. Research increasingly shows that girls’ education is not only important for their own empowerment, but that it also contributes to reductions in infant and maternal mortality and improves the lives of women, children, families and communities.
Nothing I have said is new. Indeed, this conference is not expected to make any new findings from either the policy or knowledge perspectives. We are here to share best practice, information and plans for implementation.
You will recall, in this regard, that in September 2006 African Ministers of Health and other stakeholders adopted the continental policy framework and the Maputo Plan of Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights to ensure universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services on the continent and CARMMA as our concrete plan to realize these objectives.
This landmark decision paved the way for the Protocol of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. This Protocol urges our governments to guarantee comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health. The Protocol calls on our governments to ensure delivery of quality and affordable health services in order to promote safe motherhood, child survival and maternal, newborn and child health.
Furthermore, African Heads of State held a special session of the African Union in Kampala, Uganda, in July 2010 devoted to issues of maternal, newborn and child health. In January this year, on the margins of the Assembly of Africa Union Heads of State and Government, African leaders held a working lunch of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).
These continental policy frameworks, as well as various national health policy frameworks by African countries, provide sufficient guidelines, information and recommendations on how to address the challenge of maternal, newborn and child mortality in Africa.
The issues we need to address at this conference, therefore, are those relating to implementation of existing continental and national policy frameworks and plans of action. We need, in this respect, to create an effective coalition involving governments, communities, civil society, the private sector, cooperating partners and other international stakeholders that should galvanise and coordinate action on implementation, including resource mobilisation.
I also believe that the issue of maternal, newborn and child mortality is not merely a health issue. It is a multi-sectoral issue that can only be effectively addressed by a comprehensive approach both by national authorities and at continental level.
The conference will therefore involve several parallel sessions including a multi-sectoral session that will address those issues that may be outside the influence of the health sector but significantly impact on health outcomes.
I wish to reaffirm that solutions to our challenges, do not lie in the health sector alone. Advancement on health outcomes will depend on gender equality and status of women and children, education, access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, food security and nutrition, capacity for production and distribution of essential health commodities. It is imperative for the Commission of the African Union, governments and partners to collaborate more closely to develop, prioritize and implement policies that will improve the health of women and children in Africa.
As we celebrate 50 years of our existence as a continental organization it is unacceptable that women continue to die while giving life or that children die from conditions which science has secured the means to prevent and treat.
Oftentimes we are paralysed into inaction by the challenge of resource constraints. But we have also seen that when we choose to act together, when we believe that an issue poses an existential threat to our nations, we act resolutely and undeterred by resource constraints.
If we choose to make maternal, newborn and child mortality a priority; if we believe that maternal, newborn and child mortality poses an existential threat to all our nations and if we can muster the necessary political will, I have no doubt that we can find the necessary resources to eradicate avoidable maternal, newborn and child mortality in Africa.
To spend resources to preserve life, our most precious resource, is not expenditure, but an investment - an investment in our common humanity and our common survival!
I wish the Conference fruitful deliberations and expect that it will produce a clear outcome, in the form of an Action plan that commits all governments, civil society, the private sector, continental organisations to save more lives, as we head towards the Millennium Development Goals countdown.
Thank You.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY
H.E. MR ERASTUS MWENCHA
DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
AT THE THIRD MEETING OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: 25 JULY, 2013
Your Excellency, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance for the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Your Excellency, Dr Armida Alisjahbana, State Minister for National Development Planning / Head of BAPPENAS in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet of the Republic of Indonesia
Your Excellency, Mrs. Justine Greening, Secretary of State for International Development of the United Kingdom (UK)
Distinguished delegates; Ladies and Gentlemen;
It is an honor for me to welcome you all to the 3rd Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Global Partnership. Your presence here today reflects commitment to the process and the important agenda towards an inclusive and representative Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.
At the outset, let me express my gratitude to the co-chairs for their leadership, and the members of the Steering Committee for your diligence and commitment.
I would also like to appreciate the members of the Support Team, the African Union Commission (AUC) Inter-departmental Task Team, the contribution of our partners, UNDP and OECD for their dedication, support and contributions in ensuring this meeting is a success.
Excellences, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen;
The High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan, South Korea in 2011 marked a significant step forward for international development co-operation. Following a decade of rising aid volumes and a series of international agreements to improve the aid effectiveness, the “Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation” came-up with an agenda based on common goals and shared principles. In the Busan outcome document, the imperative of transiting from Aid - to Development Effectiveness has been reinforced. The frontiers of development regarding the new opportunities and orientations were re-defined, driven by emerging economies from the South.
At the same time, Africa itself is breaking new ground and the Continent is transforming. Over the last five (5) decades, African Governments have accelerated reforms and created an enabling environment leading to unprecedented high growth rates. We have witnessed significant progress in governance policies which have resulted in sound macro-economic performance despite current global, financial and economic crisis. Democratic, just, accountable and sovereign governance is pivotal to the attainment of Africa’s development effectiveness agenda.
Africa is taking charge of its own development agenda. Looking forward to the next 50 years, efforts are being marshaled to upscale Africa’s development through African solutions and leadership thereby allowing for ownership of the continent’s destiny. In this regards, African Union is elaborating its 2063 development agenda based on the core achievements of the past, pragmatic assessment of the challenges still facing the continent and renewed acknowledgement of the vital importance of Pan African solidarity towards the achievement of a brighter future for all the peoples of the continent. The New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) as a flagship programme of the AU is Africa’s blue print for socio-political and economic transformation. The NEPAD agenda is guided by fundamental principles of ownership and leadership, enabled by the effective use of Africa’s own human, institutional, financial and material resources. These principles have guided the continent’s engagement with the international community particularly in the reform of aid systems.
On the other hand, the international community accelerates it efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and is deliberating on the Post-2015 framework for development. The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation is an opportunity to boost all these efforts going on in Africa as well as in the international arena to support Africa’s development.
Excellences, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen;
At the centre of Africa’s economic transformation is the need for a fine balance between a capable private sector, an empowered citizenry and effective institutions driven by collaborative leadership. The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation should be the forum for advice, learning and experience sharing to support the implementation of Africa’s development agenda based on the development-effectiveness principles, ownership, results focus, transparency and accountability. Further, Africa has matured in placing its priorities in the global arena through the AUC and NEPAD Agency coordinated Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev). APDev was key in mobilizing African voices in the lead-up to the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, South Korea, and remains the officially, mandated regional Platform for the monitoring and evaluation of Post-Busan commitments.
The Global partnership should continue to support the use of APDev, which is an African-owned and led innovation set-up in 2011 to promote experience sharing and mutual learning among stakeholder in Africa on best practices towards the ultimate objective of better development result. The African Union welcomes efforts of a Global Partnership that takes into account the full participation of, and alignment with national and regional structures. Africa regrettably continues to face the challenge of interfacing and representing its interest at the Steering Committee in its current format. There is an urgent need to create an enabling environment to allow for the region’s meaningful participation. This will ensure adequate voice and representation in order for the Global Partnership to add enhanced value to the continent.
Excellences, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Africa’s meaningful participation is not limited to adequate participation in the governance structures of the Global Partnership, but it is equally important that the Busan Commitments are supportive of the continent’s socio-economic transformation priorities. Among these priorities is sustainable development financing with a key role for domestic private sector. The commitment to the “beyond aid” approach will ensure that Africa’s sustainable development within the global context is driven through domestic financial, institutional and technical resources. This is echoed in the historic 2011 African Consensus and Position on Development Effectiveness which takes forward the AU’s “Beyond Aid” agenda.
Given Africa’s emerging status as a growth pole, channeling more aid resources to support country and regional Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) efforts is paramount. This implies the urgent need for aid to serve as a catalyst to advance financial and fiscal policy reforms. This will form the foundation for a socio-economic environment with a specific focus on capable institutions for DRM. The investment in the requisite capacities forms the bedrock for long-term sustainable development driven by Africa’s internal resources. The Post-Busan legacy will be measured not by what the world has done for Busan but the extent to which the Busan commitments have supported the national and regional priorities and process towards reaching their development goals. This means a partnership framework that will respect Africa’s own established systems and assets at national and regional levels. The Global Partnership interface with Africa should align and be supportive of Heads of State and Government mandated leadership through the African Union.
To re-iterate Africa’s continued commitment to the Global Partnership is closely linked to the space that is afforded to country and regional blocks at the table, and in the interest of Africa’s optimal continued participation. Collectively, we cannot shy away from explicitly addressing the current globally entrenched imbalances, which serve to continually marginalize Africa. This is at the core of both the African Union vision and the Global Partnership agenda. I therefore urge you to give effect to these commitments made by different institutions.
Excellences, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen;
The core message is that there is a need to address the unfinished aid agenda; develop the necessary structures and incorporate the regional dimension into development assistance. It is of overriding importance that development partners align their support to Africa-owned and defined priorities and agenda.
With these few remarks, I wish you a fruitful meeting and look forward to tangible results and good progress in translating the vision of the Global Partnership into reality. The foundation for this will be the readiness of all parties concerned to forge a more inclusive, representative, equitable, adequate, sustainable and value-adding partnership. Only then will the promise of Busan yield effective development results.
I thank you.
OPENING REMARKS BY H.E. DR. MUSTAPHA S. KALOKO
COMMISSIONER SOCIAL AFFAIRS
AT THE FIFTH SESSION OF THE AU CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF SPORTS (CAMS5)
ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE
25 JULY 2013
Protocol
I am highly honoured to address the 5th Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Sports. On behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr Dlamini Nkosazana Zuma, I wish to express the sincere appreciation of the African Union Commission to the Government of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire for hosting this 5th Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Sports in this historic and hospitable city of Abidjan and for the generous hospitality extended to all delegations and participants.
Allow me to also express my appreciation to all the Hon. Ministers, Heads of Delegation, and Experts who are present here, for sparing time to attend this Fifth Session. Your presence at this conference is a testimony of commitment and your interest for Sport, as well as your determination to put the torch of African Sport on a high pedestal.
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen
The theme for the Fifth Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Sport is “Harnessing the power of sport to contribute to the broader government development agenda”. The session is taking place at a time when Africa is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU with the theme “Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance”. The year-long celebration provides us with a unique opportunity to reflect, take stock of the key milestones of the past 50years and project into the next 50 years of the kind of Africa we want for the coming generations. As Ministers of Sport and members of the Africa Sport Movement, we must reflect on the roles and the achievements of sports in the past 50 years. We must also reflect on how we can take sport to the greatest height on the continent while harnessing its power and multiplier effects to the development of the continent in the next 50 years i.e. in the context of the post 2015 Development Agenda and the African Union Agenda 2063.
In the last 50 years, Africa has used sport as a tool for decolonization and liberation of the continent, as well as a veritable weapon in the fight against apartheid. With sport we can raise up our heads and say Never! Never! Again to all forms of racial discrimination and intolerance. Of course, there other success stories that are too numerous to highlight here, as we are all aware of the exceptional performances and the exploits of African sport women and men at major international sports events. As we celebrate recorded successes, we must also recognize our failures, particularly our inability to quickly adapt to changing times, so as to ensure the sustainability of our successes.
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen
The last 20 years has witnessed the ever growing popularity of sports and its competitiveness in Africa, as well as, on the international scene. At the same time, the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) which is the major Forum available for a concerted action by Member States for the promotion and development of sport in Africa lacked the capacity to implement any sports development programmes or had any meaningful cooperation with continental and international sport organizations. In effect, Africa sport was not prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century, particularly sport development and the use of sport as a tool for development on the continent.
This has begun to take its toll on the performance of African athletes at major international sport events. Since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, there has been a noticeable decline in the performance of African countries as reflected in the number of medals won at the Olympic Games including the London Olympics of 2012, and they have also continued to perform below expected standard at other international sports events. Although many factors could be advanced for the declining performance of African countries at the Olympic Games, allow me to make particular reference to two of them here:
There are no systematic approaches to fostering and determining success and maximizing performance in sport. Common strategies are more hazard and predictions for success are speculative. These unsystematic approaches lead to wastage of resources and learned hopelessness among athletes and spectators in spite of abundant talent.
Africa is the only continent where the Regional Games (All African Games) are not qualifier for the Olympic Games.
Honorable Ministers, I shall leave you with four questions to reflect upon in the course of this conference:
• Why should governments incur double expenditure to prepare their national teams for the African and Olympic Games qualifier tournaments?
• Why doesn’t the All African Games in its current form attract top African athletes?
• Why doesn’t the All African Games in its current form attract quality marketing, revenue, sponsorship inspite of Africa having the best talent in the world?
• Why is it that developed and rich countries in other continents are enticing young African Athletes to change their nationalities so that they could represent those countries at international sporting events?
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen
African Renaissance implies restoring Africa’s greatness. Before the disruptions of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid, Africa had great empires and was renown in Astronomy, Medicine and other fields of human endeavour. As we project into the next 50 years, we as Africans, are determined to take ownership of our polity, establish well-functioning sport system on the continent that will be flexible enough to adapt to changes and new realities, as well as facilitating the implementation of Vision and Mission of the AU and to meet the sport challenges of the 21st century.
The contribution that sport can make to the socio-economic development and renaissance of the African continent is multi-faceted. Sport is increasingly being recognized as a tool for supporting development efforts throughout the world. Since sport plays an important role in society, governments and other development actors should not view it as a cost, but rather an investment. Sport is a low-cost investment with great impact on the future and provides a strategic intervention and opportunity to shape Africa’s future.
Furthermore, sports can also be a tool to reduce the high youth unemployment and the abundant energy of the youth can be channeled through sports to positive uses. We can also use sports as a tool for social mobilization to get messages across to the people such as malaria control and eradication, HIV/AIDS prevention, violence against women, human trafficking and message of peace among others.
For almost 10 years the Ministers of Sport have been trying to re-position the management and organization of sport in Africa so that it can contribute to broader Continental and National agenda. It is in this context that you the Honorable Ministers of Sport at the 4th session of your Conference in 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted a new Architecture for Sport in Africa as a continental strategy and framework aimed at ensuring synergy and better coordination and management of sport on the continent. The new Sport Architecture is also envisaged to promote coordination and harmonization between the different Sports stakeholders in Africa and International Sports Organizations including strategic partnership with Members of the African Sport Movement to promote sport for development in Africa. There is no doubt that the new Architecture has set the tone for the transformation and re-positioning of sport on the continent and makes it a tool for development and integration.
At the African Union Commission, we have commenced the implementation of the new Architecture for sports as directed by the AU Assembly and Executive Council. We have undertaken among other actions the following:
• A separate Sport Division in the Department of Social Affairs of the AUC has been established to address issues relating to sport policy on the continent.
• Re-organization of the 7 Sport Development Zones into 5 Sport Development Regions in line with AU Geographic Regions as contained in the new sport architecture;
• Build capacity of the AU Sport Development Regions and mobilize them to develop Strategic Plans, organize Regional Games and that participation in the Regional games be a pre-condition for participation in the African Games, including setting up of a Secretariat where there is none;
• Finalized the MOU with the ANOCA and AASC as directed by the AU Executive Council and ensure that African Games serve as qualifier for the Olympic Games.
• I am also aware that questions have been raised by many stakeholders regarding the institution that will take over the functions of the SCSA once dissolved. In this regard, I am glad to report that the Commission through the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) has approved the establishment of a Specialized Technical Office under the AUC. The PRC has also approved the operational and programme budgets for the Technical Office to coordinate and handle technical and operational aspects of sport development and development for sport in Africa;
There are other key aspects of the Architecture that the Commission has not been able to implement. This is because the Commission can only go as far as the Member States represented by the Honorable Ministers want us. There are important decisive decisions and actions that need to be taken by this Conference and at the Special Session of the Assembly of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) taking place tomorrow in order to kick start the transformation of sport in Africa. A situation whereby Honorable Ministers took vital decisions at the Conference of Ministers of Sport that were duly endorsed by the AU Assembly and the Executive Council and for the same Ministers to condone the frustration of these decisions at the Assembly of SCSA, cannot and does not, augur well for sport on the continent. I call on you Honorable Ministers to be decisive in the interest of Africa. The African Union Commission (AUC) Is waiting.
Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen
As we continue the year-long 50th Anniversary celebration of our organization, I want to appreciate the role sporting organizations have played particularly the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the celebrations. CAF dedicated the entire 2013 AFCON to celebrate Africa at 50. My warm congratulations to Nigeria who emerged as champions of Africa. CAF also organized a special international friendly between Ethiopia and Sudan on 25thMay 2013 – Africa Day. Congratulation to Ethiopia that won the match.
As we look forward to next 50years, how do we envisage sports on the continent in 2063? How do we restore the glory that Africa once had in sport? Time for declarations is over. It is time for action. Africa’s time is now!!!
I wish you successful deliberations.
REMARKS BY
H.E DR. AISHA L. ABDULLAHI (AMB.)
COMMISSIONER FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS
AT THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE ON THE DRAFT DISCUSSION PAPER OF THE AFRICAN UNION ON AFRICA 2063 AGENDA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
24 JULY 2013
DELIVERED ON HER BEHALF BY
AMB. FEBE POTGIETER-GQUBULE
ADVISOR TO THE CHAIRPERSON
Your Excellency, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, Chair of the AGI Governing Board
Your Excellency, Mr. Dauda Toure, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria
Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corp accredited to Nigeria
Distinguished Representatives of UN Agencies
Distinguished Representatives of African CSOs, Think Tanks, Academia and the Media
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me begin my remark this morning to you all with warm words of welcome from H.E. Dr. Aisha L. Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the African Union Commission, who wished to be with us here today, but couldn’t do so due another call of duty.
I am also delighted and honoured to be here with you in this beautiful city of Abuja, a well-planned city with the impressive Aso Rock rises majestically over the city's central government district.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Our gathering here today is strategic and far reaching as you would come to realise in the course of these two days. It is why the Department of Political Affairs has collaborated with the Africa Governance Institute (AGI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to convene this Multistakeholder Dialogue on the Draft Discussion Paper of the African Union on Africa 2063 Agenda. I therefore thank the African Governance Institute under the Chairmanship of H.E Dr. Abdoulie Janneh, for its unwavering commitment and partnership with the Department of Political Affairs. Let me also add that this would not have been possible without the generous support of our friends and partners at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). They have been indeed our partners in progress.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
As I indicated earlier, our gathering here is quite strategic. It is coming at the time we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU. The African Union as enshrined in its Constitutive Act aims to promote “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”. The 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU is a unique moment in our history to celebrate our modest achievements in writing our own narratives of our past, present and the future that we look forward to. We hope that doing this will enthuse and energize the African population and use their constructive energy to accelerate a forward looking agenda of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance in the 21st century.
The celebration of the yearlong 50th Anniversary which is being marked by several events such as this, serves as an opportunity for stock taking and putting in place a strategic vision for the coming 50 years in what we are calling an Africa 2063 Agenda. We are quite optimistic that 50 years from now, when the AU will be celebrating a centenary, it will be done in a more integrated, united, prosperous, peaceful and democratic setting.
This reflection also becomes necessary taking cognisance of our peculiar history and struggles. We have evolved from the dark continent of those years to becoming the next frontier. Our growth rates have become global reference statements. Our economies are becoming bigger and larger. Our youthful demography is an envy of our sister continents. Elections have become frequent and evolving into a norm our people are used to. We have suddenly become the new bride. In short, we are at a point that we can say confidently that the second scramble for Africa is here.
This beautiful narrative however comes with new forms of challenges. As much as we have made significant economic progress, the challenge of lifting a significant number of our people out of poverty remains a concern. Our demography which is meant to be a resource is on the verge of becoming a threat. Our business interaction with the rest of world is increasing at faster rates while intra-Africa trade remains a paltry percentage of that. Even with the wave of democracy taking root in the country, the institutionalisation of democratic norms and practices is still very much a challenge. Today, new forms of popular struggles are emerging with the popular uprisings in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya as case points.
These new forms of challenge require new ways of thinking. It is important to rethink our strategy in a way that we are able to understand the dynamics and be able to respond accordingly. In short, we need to have an interpretative understanding of our peculiar concerns and develop a response properly nuanced in the socio-economic and political dynamics of our environment. It is only in finding Africa-tuned solutions to our African based challenges that we can begin to approach the next fifty years confidently, strategically and pragmatically.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Let me also at this juncture address the misconception about the Africa 2063 Agenda of the African Union. A lot of commentaries have argued that we should be more realistic and plan for the next ten years instead of looking at 50years when biologically a lot of us are not likely to be here. I think this is a simplistic and rather selfish way of dismissing this agenda as irrelevant. Let me state categorically that it is important for us to begin to think strategically. We must begin to think far ahead. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. It is only when we can envision a future that we can begin to put structures in place to get to achieve it.
Taking each day as it comes will rather make us susceptible to all forms of influences. I strongly believe this Agenda 2063 is our own masterplan with which we will march into the African Centenary with pride and our shoulders held up high. This can only happen if we all support it and contribute to its development with all that we have intellectually and physically. This is a people driven agenda and it is driving force for convening this dialogue.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
At the Political Affairs Department, our focus is on ensuring that the Africa Governance Architecture and Platform becomes fully operational so as to assist us in driving the shared values agenda of the Union beyond just ratifications but to actual implementation. We have made remarkable progress in norms and standards setting over the last half a century, it is however important that going into the next 50 years, we ensure that institutional frameworks that have been established to guide and facilitate the implementation of these norms work and fire at full throttle.
We must emphasize on the imperatives of deepening democratic practices and institutionalising good governance practices to ensure the growth and development of our continent. An attempt to understand Africa’s agenda 2063 cannot be made without an appreciation of the imperatives of strengthening good governance, consolidating democracy, adherence to the rule of law, constitutionalism, and the respect for human and peoples’ rights. There is a symbiotic relationship between good governance on one hand and human development and peace and security all of which are equally desirable and prerequisites for continental integration. Democratic governance is a guarantor for sustainable human development, peace and security and political stability in Africa, and the absence of any of these stalls continental integration, unity and prosperity.
It is therefore my hope that this gathering will help to give muscle and flesh to the proposals as contained in the draft 2063 Agenda of the African Union. I have no doubt that with the calibre of participants at this dialogue, this will be achieved.
Thank you for your attention and I wish you an engaging deliberation.
WELCOMING REMARKS
HIGH LEVEL AFRICA EVENT ON:
AID AS A CATALYST FOR DOMESTIC RESOURCE MOBILISATION IN AFRICA
H. E. DR ANTHONY MOTHAE MARUPING, COMMSIONER FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, AUC
JULY 24, 2013
It is an honour and privilege to welcome you to this HIGH Level Africa Event on: “ Aid as a Catalyst for Domestic Resources Mobilisatin” organised in the margins of the 3rd Global Partnership Steering Committee meeting which is to be held right here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday and Friday,
July 25 – 26, 2013. That Steering Committee meeting is critical in building the necessary momentum leading to the Inaugural Ministerial-Level meeting to be held early in 2014.
Allow me to thank you for being so gracious as to accept our invitation to attend this event.
I am highly confident that you have much to contribute. A line-up of knowledgeable panelists has been assembled to set the stage for hopefully highly inter-active sessions.
The question of domestic resources mobilization first came to light in a strong manner at the Ministerial meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, in preparation for UN- LDCs IV in Istanbul. It was towards the end of 2010. I will confess that I was a sceptic at that time wondering how one can “…squeeze water out of a stone without the magic rod or wand of Moses”. But there was a “Damascene” conversion right there to the point that I was requested, impromptu, because one of the panelists could show up, to make a presentation on the subject and it was well received. The panelist from AfDB actually skillfully eschewed the core of the subject matter and talked about something else. To-day the AfDB is at the fore-front advocating domestic resources mobilization especially for infrastructure development that would assist in economic transformation. It is a welcome development.
African countries themselves, in the preparations leading to Busan, took the plunge and threw their weight behind the concept and ended up championing it. So the quest for effective mobilization of domestic resources for development has gathered and is continuing to gather momentum. AfDB is coming up with an interesting package called Africa50 Fund ( President Kaberuka prefers it to be called Africa50) specially designed to raise funds for a particular category of infrastructure projects in the continent that neither fall comfortably into public funding arena, or do not fully attract private investment, yet would contribute towards development and intra-Africa as well as global trade. Perhaps the panelist from AfDB will elaborate.
Now Domestic Resource Mobilisation in Africa has become one of the mantras. It is now widely accepted, that for true liberation and convincing sovereignty a high degree of self-reliance, in, among other things, mobilizing own resources for both recurrent and developmental purposes ( as well as building confidence by accumulating reserves), is imperative.
Proper tax structure, competent and meticulous administration are imperative to domestic resource mobilization on the public front. That tax structure should not only be competently administered, but must also be accompanied by punctual and competent auditing system. Plugging leakage holes of tax evasion and tax avoidance are challenges that need to be met and quickly. Proper introduction of systems such as the Integrated Financial Management Information Systems have been found to be particularly useful in meticulously tracing flows within the government financial management system. Incentives for tax compliance would also go some way in encouraging revenue collection. Again this is being done elsewhere.
Proper, up to standard Financial Sector Regulation and Supervision is key. Appropriate framework has to be put in place and adequate capacity to administer it should be developed and deployed. Basel based committees housed under Bank for International Settlements (BIS) have take the lead in this regard. Functional payment, clearing and settlement systems are also critical. They should be truly reliable/secure, fast and convenient. Meticulous supervision and good payment systems would enable tracing of illicit flows and money laundering and therefore easier to stop them.
Blocking illicit outflows in the form of over-pricing, transfer pricing or money laundering or through other innovative methods, is critical to retain financial resources in the country and in the continent.
Keeping a sharp eye on the Transnationals, especially those in extractive industries, is well advised. Their notoriety in manoevres of not accurately reporting production and proceeds thereof and often under-payment on labour invokes this call. Improved and harmonized international accounting standards and disclosure requirements should go some way towards containing illegitimate financial outflows.
International co-operation is essential in stopping illicit financial outflows and fight against corruption.
There are indeed pockets of unused financial resources in the system in our countries. For instance, liquidity in the banks tends to be plentiful. Funds are held idle. Banks simply buy bonds, enjoy the yield and then pass on a small fraction to depositors in the form of interest of deposits. There is excessive risk aversion. Measures should be taken to encourage banks take reasonable risks, especially foreign owned banks.
Nurturing the informal and semi-formal savings and loans associations or societies should prove to be a step in the right direction in mobilizing domestic financial resources. These associations and societies carried the weight during the economic hardships of the 1080s and 1990s. Some have grown and have become a force in the financial sector in their own right and are less risk averse in lending towards productive activities.
Incentives for saving should be somehow devised to realize this vision of domestic resource mobilization. This has been and is being done in some instances.
Of course strong, stable, sustained and inclusive economic growth is a path towards domestic resource mobilization as it will lead to raised incomes, broadened and deepened tax bases and better revenue collection by the authorities. This calls for quality public expenditure or pro-growth public expenditure.
Diversification and value addition are key to accelerated growth. To achieve that, there has to be appropriate infrastructure developed, human development and other enablers. The Agriculture and industrial development should follow. With such value addition, value chains Africa would join regional, continental and global supply chains. The vision of substantially increased intra-Africa Trade would become a reality. It will further propel economic growth. Saving would increase in the economy. UNCTAD says, for maximum gain by Africa, such production and trade is best undertaken largely by African enterprises. African owned enterprises should form a significant part in production and trade. This puts a high premium on the private sector development effort on the continent.
Much can be mobilized through the remittances from the diaspora. Charges on transfers have to be reduced. Billions are absorbed by transfer enterprises such as the Western Union and Money Link through exorbitant charges on transfers. Liberalisation of that type of market could lead to lower rates as has been witnessed in the case of Rwanda.
Aid, therefore, should assist in putting up the appropriate structures and process associated with the domestic financial resources mobilization. They should be the catalyst for Domestic Resource Mobilisation. Africa and development partners should work hand-in-hand in this endeavor.
It remains for me to thank member of the family NPCA and the AUC’s ever so dependable and devoted partner, UNDP, for collaborating with AUC in making this event a reality that it is. We thank the experts here present who have graciously agreed to be in the panels to share their knowledge, experience and wisdom with us.
I now wish to invite the His Exellency the Deputy Chair of the African Union Commission, H. E.
Erastus Mwencha, a man of tremendous experience and insight to do the honours and formally open this event.
Your Excellency we await your message!
The selected theme for the Second Edition of the AUCIL forum is: “Law of Regional Integration in Africa”.
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY H. E. MR ERASTUS MWENCHA, DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
AT THE HIGH LEVEL AFRICA EVENT ON AID AS A CATALYST FOR DOMESTIC RESOURCES MOBILISATION IN AFRICA
ON THE MARGINS OF THE THIRD GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
24 JULY 2013
Excellencies, Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great honour and privilege for me to address this Africa High Level Africa Event on the margins of the Third Meeting of the Global Partnership Steering Committee starting tomorrow and Friday here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to welcome you all to the Headquarters of the African Union (AU).
Please allow me to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for funding this important High Level Event organised by the AUC and the NEPAD Agency under the auspices of the Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev).The UNDP has been a dependable and devoted partner to the AU in promoting Africa’s sustainable growth and development. I look forward to continued excellent collaboration between the AU and the UNDP.
Let me also thank our distinguished Panellists who agreed to take time off their busy schedules to contribute to the success of this High Level Event by sharing their views on the theme. Your presence here is a reflection of your commitment to the socio-economic advancement of our continent.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen
The theme of this High Level Event, “Aid as Catalyst for Domestic Resource Mobilization in Africa”, - “Africa Looking Within” is both timely and relevant.
The year 2013 marks an important milestone for Africa and the Union in pursuing the goal of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Continent, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. The 50 year Anniversary of the African Union (AU) affords us the opportunity to sharpen our vision which reflects a clear determination that African people are taking full responsibility of their sustainable development and shared growth through own financial, human and institutional resources. This further reinforces Africa’s Beyond Aid agenda which is also echoed in the historic 2011 African Consensus and Position on Development Effectiveness.
African Governments have effected reforms and created an enabling environment leading to unprecedented high growth rates. We have witnessed significant progress in governance policies which have resulted in sound macro-economic performance despite current global, financial and economic crisis. To move their economies into the middle-income class, African authorities require a sustained flow of significant amount of financing for the implementation of development programmes at national, regional and continental levels.
A truly sovereign Africa should exude self-reliance and value-driven partnership, not dependence. Therefore, the effective mobilization of requisite domestic resources to finance African-owned programmes and projects is most urgent and of paramount importance. With more determination, Africa is looking more purposefully and decisively inwards to raise requisite resources for stable growth and effective development.
In the next 50 years of the AU, as well as, the second decade of NEPAD, we see more opportunities within for Africa to reduce financial dependency. With domestic private sector at the centre stage, the continent is today the fastest growing region globally and is on the threshold of sustained transformation.
Further, I would like to underscore the need for capacity development, particularly in the area of uncovering illicit financial outflows, including tax evasion, as well as, strengthening African institutions. Given Africa’s emerging status as a growth pole, channelling more aid resources to support country and regional DRM efforts is paramount while at the same time halting Illicit financial outflows. This implies the urgent need for assistance to help advance financial and fiscal policy reforms while attending to the capacity dimension. The investment in the requisite capacities forms the bedrock for long-term sustainable development driven by Africa.
Of particular importance would be the need to improve African capacities in tax administration. More ODA should be allocated to strengthening public sector capacities to be able to collect more resources from taxation. This includes capacity building in public financial and public sector policy and administration management. Priority must also be given to revenue collection with a view to reducing corruption in that area. This would go a long way in increasing revenues collected from taxes as the tax base widens due to increased public trust in the system. In the same vein, the strengthening of accountability systems of tax revenue authorities is key to ensure sustainability of resources collected from taxation.
The G8 leaders at their Lough Erne Summit in June 2013 pledged to support developing countries to collect the taxes due to them, and to provide access to the global tax information required. I wish to call upon the G8, G20 and other partnerships to help deliver on that promise as it is part of the support required to increase domestic resources mobilisation in African countries.
Excellencies, Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen
Overall, we must strive to ensure that the available official assistance is used in productive sectors particularly those with potential to raise domestic financial resources and also spur growth.
To conclude, let me thank Your Excellencies, and distinguished ladies and gentlemen, for gracing this High Level Event and I look forward to some exchanges on ideas to mobilise domestic resources for the development of our continent and hope to have fruitful deliberation.
I thank you for you kind attention.
