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Remarks of H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission on the occasion of Meeting the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March, 15, 2013
Remarks of H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime,
Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission
on the occasion of Meeting the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Addis, March, 15, 2013
Excellency, Ms. Jane Karuku, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Members of Staff of the AGRA, AUC-DREA and other members
Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me start by thanking Your Excellency, Mme Jane Karuku for honouring my invitation and I wish to welcome you to Addis Ababa and, in particular, to the African Union Commission.
Let me start by stating that the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture which I head is much bigger than the size you see here, and it covers over ten sectors, subdivided into two strategic areas of intervention which are: Agriculture and Food Security, and Environment and Natural Resources Management. In addition to the Headquarter-based Office, my department has 6 specialised technical offices under it, which are IBAR in Nairobi dealing with livestock, PATTEC in Addis Ababa handling tse-tse and trypanosomiasis, PANVAC in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, in charge of veterinary vaccines IAPSC in Yaounde on phytosanitary matters, SAFGRAD in Ouagadougou coordinating dryland research and development and Fouta Djallon in Conakry on integrated highland development. As you may note, we spread across the continent.
I value this moment as it falls within the framework of the productive partnership between the African Union Commission and the Alliance for a Green Revolution.
Within the field of agriculture, the AUC-DREA and the AGRA have been collaborating in multiple engagements and we have initiatives where we have been quite close in supporting AU Member States to implement the decisions of the AU Policy Organs up to the highest level, especially in the context of the overarching framework provided by the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) with a view to ensuring increased agricultural production, productivity, food and nutrition security. They include extension services, input delivery, output market development and functioning, and farmer organization and capacity building.
I wish, at this juncture, to commend AGRA for the continued partnership with AUC and for the work in advancing agricultural development at country-level across the continent. Working together in these and many other areas, we have registered significant achievements for our continent and especially at the Member States’ level. And what we have noted is that the more we deliver, the more is demanded of us. Hence the need for our continued improvement of our work in mutual reinforcement and complementarity to bring forth the desired results and impacts especially at implementation level and bringing on board real players, The Women.
I, therefore, wish to call for closer collaboration between AGRA and AUC-DREA in furtherance of the shared goal of increased agricultural production, productivity, food and nutrition security on the continent. We need to step up these especially now as we vision and dream for a better continent, and as we mark 10 years of the existence of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), in addition to other related processes we are engaged in.
I hope you also know that the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government decided in July last year to declare 2014 The AU Year of Agriculture and Food Security. We will need to work more closely to ensure that the year brings to fruition some of the ongoing pertinent initiatives in the context of CAADP. We will consider some of these during the CAADP Partnership Platform Meeting scheduled for Addis Ababa on 25-27 March 2013 and we hope that AGRA will participate fully during this meeting that will focus on preparations for 2014 AU Year of Agriculture and Food Security as we look at where we want to go from here given the interrelated nature of agriculture with environment, climate change, water and other key sectors.
Looking more critically at agriculture, I need not over-emphasize the importance of this sector for our continent, our nations and our communities, from food and nutrition to jobs and incomes. If Africa took agriculture more seriously, we would be respected and Africa would participate more effectively in global development. Other continents have successfully used agriculture as a premise for development, why not Africa?
I must, nonetheless, say that in partnership, we all share the joy of seeing 30 countries having signed CAADP Compacts that encapsulate multi-stakeholder consensus and partner buy-in on the key drivers of agricultural production, productivity, food and nutrition security. We have also seen Regional Compacts starting with the one of ECOWAS and the upcoming one of COMESA, and others in the pipeline.
We are also happy to see that more and more of these countries have gone further to draw up credible investment plans and also to put in their own resources and more investments in agriculture as they also mobilize bilateral and multilateral public and private support. We see more commitment by AU Member States at bilateral and multilateral levels and we need to take advantage of this state of affairs and plan together and implement as we are targeting the same constituency. We have seen good responses from partners particularly countries prepared investment plans. It is important and imperative that the AGRA buys into the investment plans agreed to by countries with all partners. I do appreciate the much work done by the AGRA.
We would like to see AGRA involved more in the process of putting together investment plans. Wherever you have been you have added value. We want countries to take advantage of how AGRA does business. As we mark 10 years since CAADP was adopted in 2003, we as AUC, AfDB, UNECA, NPCA, RECs and other Pan African institutions including AGRA, are called upon to step up our efforts in sustaining the momentum so that our people see concrete results on the ground in terms of food, nutrition, jobs and incomes. There is talk of Millennium Development Goals but for us it is about African dignity and without food we can’t have dignity. As we celebrate this year the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the OAU, predecessor to AU, we will focus on the vision of a food and nutrition as we consider the Theme of the Golden Jubilee: Pan Africanism and African Renaissance. There are many activities involved apart from agriculture and we have not forget our other areas of intervention
I am sure you have heard, time and again, that we have many declarations and decisions on strategic commodities, on value chain development, on fertilizer use, on irrigation, on agricultural research and technology, on sanitary and phytosanitary issues, on post-harvest loss reduction, GMOs and so on. It is our collective efforts that we will support AU Member States to translate these into reality: food, water, sanitation, and environmental sustainability. It doesn’t help when we get decisions and not have them implemented.
I would like to draw your attention to the African Fertiliser Financing Mechanism. You are implementing input delivery. We cannot increase productivity unless we have inputs and particularly fertilizers. It is important for AGRA to support the AFFM to take root. As you are aware, it arose out of the decision of Heads of State and Government at the Abuja Summit of 2006. A review was done and it was noted that unless African agriculture accesses fertilizers we cannot make it. The figure was 8 kg per ha and now it has increased to 11 kg per ha probably because of the collective efforts including those of AGRA – but the AU Abuja Summit decision called for 50 kg per ha. We need to actualize the AFFM. We can discuss this matter much further. At the CAADP PP we plan to call a meeting with other players on the fertilizer use, production, accessibility and marketing.
As part of our partnership building, we have been engaging the G8 among others especially since 2009 in L’Aquila, then also in 2012 in Camp David and currently with the next Presidency, the UK which has indicated that agriculture and food security will remain high on agenda. We shall be sharing our perspectives so that we all speak with one voice. I am sure AGRA also engages a number of partners in favour of African Agriculture. We hope you will continue to play your due role and let’s continue to be open to one another and work as a team. We serve the same constituency: African citizens, communities and nations. The partners who support us and those who support you are all our partners. If African Agriculture does well it is to our credit.
We all appreciate that our collaboration is more in the strategic area of intervention of agriculture and food security but my Department, as I indicated, also deals with sustainable environment and natural resources management. In this connection and with respect to climate change, I would like to say that this is a subject that speaks for itself owing to the frequency and intensity of its impacts in terms of erratic weather patterns punctuated by floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Again, in this area as well, our institutions will have to work closely and productively in supporting our continent and its Member States in building resilience through among others climate smart agriculture and turning them away from emergencies such as those witnessed in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Also related to this is that recently we put in place a programme called the African Risk Capacity, an initiative championed by the African Union Commission and specifically the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture in collaboration with and with support from partners particularly the World Food Programme (WFP). The initiative aims at building the capacity of AU Member States to manage disaster risk and emergency response more effectively by providing timely resources through a Member States-owned mutual insurance company.
In a nutshell, these are some of the areas that I wanted to highlight by way of introduction of my Department as they relate to our partnership with AGRA and we welcome your views on how we can take them forward together in the most efficient and effective way as our Member States need and deserve our services to deliver urgent and concrete actions, results and impacts in all the areas I mentioned. I trust that our partnership can as in the past meet the expectations of our Member States.
The African Union Commission will continue to play its core roles of policy harmonization, partnership building, resource mobilization and advocacy for African causes. This we will do with support of other Pan African institutions, stakeholders and partners including AGRA in the four pillars of peace and security, regional integration, capacity building and shared values. We are right now in the process of developing the new AU Strategic Plan 2014-2017, not just AUC Strategic Plan but Africa-wide Strategic Plan, that will redefine our priorities and at the same time we are working out the vision for the next 50 years. We will appreciate the input of partner institutions like AGRA particularly in your areas of specialisation.
I look forward to our fruitful discussions. Let me now invite you to make your remarks.
Thank you for your attention.
Dates:
March 15, 2013
File:
English
Statement by H.E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of The African Union Commission at The Fifth Tokyo International Conference for African Development Ministerial Meeting (TICAD V), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,14-17 March 2013
Statement by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana C. Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission on the Occasion of the Commemoration of the International Women’s Day
CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2013
STATEMENT BY H.E. DR. NKOSAZANA C. DLAMINI ZUMA, CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
On behalf of the African Union Commission, I congratulate all the women of the world and of the Continent in particular for our day on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Women’s Day, which extols the vital role women have played, and continue to play, in virtually all spheres of life, particularly in the enhancement of economic security for their families, communities and countries.
On this occasion, we take stock and review past progress, as well as, barriers that have continued to militate against women empowerment in Africa. It offers an opportunity to elevate women’s emancipation and gender equality, as well as, pay tribute to women that have devoted their lives to the struggle for the cause of women, and are still mobilized for this noble cause.
The African Union (AU) remains resolute in promoting gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment, in a rapidly globalizing and dynamic world. We are also taking great strides to redress gender imbalance, and promote women’s rights.
We must all join hands to prosecute crimes against women. Now is the time to dedicate ourselves to the plight of women in conflict situations, where sexual violence has often become a tool of war aimed at humiliating the enemy by destroying their dignity. The welfare of all victims of sexual violence in conflict must be at the forefront of our activities. We all must unite to end violence against women, and canvass that all women and girls have a fundamental human right to live free of violence.
We need much greater commitment and action to empower women and girls in the process of eradicating hunger, poverty and promoting development. Furthermore, there is need to give special attention to increasing the participation of women in decision-making in all areas of life, as a means of improving the quality of decision-making and in getting people-centred decisions including in the protection of the environment and wild life for future generation. This is critical as President Samora Machel of Mozambique said:
The emancipation of women is not an act of charity, or the result of humanitarian or compassionate attitude. The liberation of women is a fundamental necessity of the revolution, the guarantee of its continuity and the precondition of its victory.
The struggle is daunting but not insurmountable! The end is close and we must not deviate from the ideals of promoting women’s emanciaption in a justice and equitable world!
Finally, let me wish you all a memorable International Women’s Day and assure you of the Commission’s preparedness to continue to partner with Women, allies and friends, in the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (Dr.)
Chairperson
Dates:
March 08, 2013
File:
English
Statement by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission on the occasion of the Celebration of Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day, March 3, 2013
Statement by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission on the occasion of the Celebration of Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day, March 3, 2013
As envisaged by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the celebration of the Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day provides us with an opportunity to review and critically analyze our activities in the realms of sustainable development. It is the time of the year when we, as individuals, communities and countries, can re-examine our footprints on the environment, to give ourselves a sense of our impact on the global environment at large and more so on the lives of the future generations who would be depending on the environmental resources whose services we are enjoying today.
The celebration affords us the chance to re-dedicate ourselves to the principles of environmental conservation and sustainable development and to emulate the legacy of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai, who devoted all her life promoting ecosystem conservation and the preservation of biological diversity. In addition, she supported sustainable development efforts and women-empowerment in Africa in particular, and the world in general.
The African continent continues to endure serious environmental and sustainable development challenges. The unfolding phenomena of climate change, biodiversity depletion, desertification, land degradation and irrational use of finite natural resources remain serious risks for Africa as they pose real impediments to her sustainable development efforts. In unison, we must renew our collective resolve to overcome these challenges and to ensure a better future for generations of Africans yet unborn. The road would be difficult, wrought with numerous obstacles, but is reachable. On her march towards sustainable development, Africa will need more integrated approaches at both regional and national levels considering the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.
Sustainable environmental management is fundamental to the pursuit of food security, peace, security, and stability in Africa. A lot of the crises happening currently on the continent, be they droughts, armed conflicts, or other natural disasters, are exacerbated by environmental deterioration. To address the twin effects of climate change and desertification, Africa is bracing itself to devote undiluted attention to integrate sustainable environmental management into the mainstream development policies at both regional and national levels.
The celebration this year is of particular significance, taking place against a backdrop of key developments both at the level of the African continent and at the global level as well. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of our continental organization, OUA/AU. Africa, its citizens, and her friends around the world will be celebrating the decolonization of the continent and the tremendous achievements realized in the fields of socio-economic, political and environmental development as well the integration efforts of the African continent. The theme for the Golden Jubilee celebration is: Pan Africanism and African Renaissance. This theme underscores the importance of African countries to intensify work in cohesion and solidarity to preserve and promote their common values and heritage, including environment and natural resources. The concept of African Renaissance is built on the conviction that African people and nations can overcome the current challenges confronting the continent and achieve cultural, scientific, economic, environmental, and political renewal.
The recent United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly referred to as Rio+20, marked 20 years of global efforts to strike a balance between human development and environmental sustainability. It emphasized the need to ensure that human development is holistic, encompassing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. One of concepts embraced and endorsed at the Rio+20 Summit was the ‘green economy’. This development model has been designed to put the global economy on a sustainable path, in the process mitigating the impact of climate change, generating jobs and wealth, reducing poverty, and ensuring food security especially in developing countries.
The concept of the green economy has gained currency to a large extent because it promises to provide a response to the multiple crises that the world has been facing in recent years –the climate, food and economic crises – with an alternative paradigm that offers the promise of growth while protecting the earth’s ecosystems and, in turn, contributing to poverty alleviation. In this sense, the transition to a green economy will entail moving away from the production and consumption patterns that tend to exacerbate the difficult conditions of existence in many parts of the developing world.
We in Africa subscribe to basic principles and ideals of the green economy. It is a concept we believe can offer the African continent and other developing regions of the world alternative approaches to development which seeks to integrate economic development with environment, human well-being, and socially-inclusive growth, thereby mitigating the risks which arise from environmental degradation. The African continent is in a unique position and is well-placed to fashion new development pathways that are more sustainable than those taken elsewhere.
The imperative for Africa to pursue the green economy model is clear, considering the fact that many African economies are heavily dependent on natural resources to fuel economic growth. Agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying, and oil and natural gas are crucial contributors to the GDP of many African economies.
While African economies are still heavily dependent on natural resources, they have started to appreciate the incentives of diversification. Domestic industries in most of these economies are biased towards natural resources (e.g. mining), and international trade is also heavily natural resource- based. Irrational use of these resources, in pursuit of economic development, can seriously disrupt economic and social growth in the long term.
Besides the environmental and economic arguments in favour of African countries’ need to adopt a green economy model, there is a strong social argument too. A large portion of the African population, especially the rural population, is directly dependent on the natural environment for their sustenance and livelihoods. Thus, the conservation of the continent’s natural resources is of paramount importance to these populations. Africa’s transition to green economy thus has economic as well as social dimensions and implications.
To make the celebration wholesome, it would be befitting to pay due attention to the environmental development dimension of the continent. As noted earlier Africa depends to a very large extend on the utilization of the environment and its resources to foster economic and social development. The 50th Anniversary is, therefore, expected to help us to underpin the centrality of the environment and natural resources in Africa’s growth trajectory and renaissance efforts based on the principles of sustainable development.
The struggle to decolonize Africa was not influenced only by the desire of Africans to gain political freedom and the right for self-determination but it was also about having the right to control and sustainably utilize Africa’s vast endowment of natural resources and ecosystems. It is therefore imperative that we jealously and steadfastly safeguard our environment to ensure our economic, social and environmental survival into the future. This has to happen to make Africa competitive in the global scheme of things.
It is fundamental not to decouple and downplay the strong linkage between the environment and Africa’s performance since the end of colonialism on the continent. Thus, it is inspirational that the theme chosen for the commemoration of the Africa Environment Day and the Wangari Maathai Day for 2013 is: “Partnership for Africa’s Transition to Green Economy in Support of African Renaissance”.
The commemoration of the Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day offers us with an opportune moment to demonstrate Africa’s appreciation of the importance to opt for green and sustainable paths to development.
I wish to take this opportunity to salute the Government and the people of the Republic of Tunisia for responding to the call made by the 14th Session of the African Ministerial Conference in September 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania, to host the Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day. The offer to host the celebrations is a clear manifestation of Tunisia’s unflinching commitment to the ideals of sustainable environmental management. We are grateful to the AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Greenbelt Movement for their longstanding support and collaboration in organizing the Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai celebration. We are equally thankful to the secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Convention to Combat Desertification, and the Convention on Biological Diversity for their cooperation.
I wish you all wonderful and memorable celebration of Africa Environment Day and Wangari Maathai Day. May God Bless Africa.
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Chairperson
African Union Commission
Dates:
March 03, 2013
File:
English
THIRD CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE INTRA-ACP ACADEMIC MOBILITY SCHEME (NYERERE PROGRAMME)
THIRD CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE INTRA-ACP ACADEMIC MOBILITY SCHEME (NYERERE PROGRAMME)
The third Call for Proposals under the intra-ACP academic mobility scheme (Nyerere Programme) is launched.
The intra-ACP academic mobility scheme promotes higher education cooperation between countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).
It funds partnerships between higher education institutions from different countries within these regions, and grants scholarships for students and academics to carry out studies, research or teaching in another country covered by the programme.
Applications must be sent by post and e-mail by 10 June 2013.
For more information:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/intra_acp_mobility/funding/2013/call_eacea_45_...
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Le troisième appel à propositions a été lancé par le programme de mobilité universitaire Intra-ACP (Programme Nyerere).
Le programme de mobilité universitaire intra-ACP encourage la coopération dans le domaine de l’enseignement supérieur entre les pays d’Afrique, des Caraïbes et du Pacifique (ACP).
Il finance des partenariats entre des établissements de l’enseignement supérieur de différents pays situés dans ces régions, et accorde des bourses aux étudiants et au personnel enseignant afin d’entreprendre des études, de mener des recherches ou d’enseigner dans un autre pays participant au programme.
Les candidatures doivent être envoyées par la poste et par courrier électronique avant 10 juin 2013.
Plus d’information :
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/intra_acp_mobility/funding/2013/call_eacea_45_...
English
Statement by the Commissioner for Trade and Industry, H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl for the 5th CAMI Bureau Meeting, Nairobi, Kenya, 13 February, 2013
STATEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, H.E. MRS. Fatima HARAM ACYL FOR THE 5TH CAMI BUREAU MEETING, Nairobi, Kenya, 13 February, 2013
Honorable Ministers, Members of the Bureau,
Representatives of Regional Economic Communities,
Representatives of International Organizations
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, I would like to welcome you all to this 5th Bureau Meeting of the AU Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI).
Let me first of all thank the Kenyan Government for accepting to host this 5th Bureau meeting, for the warm welcome and facilities granted to us for a successful meeting. Allow me to also express my sincere appreciation to our development partners, namely, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for their continued support to our common goal of achieving an industrialized Africa.
Distinguished Members of the Bureau
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since the last CAMI Bureau meeting held in Vienna, we have collaborated with UNIDO and UNECA to organize for the first time on the premises of the African Union Headquarters, the African Industrialization Day on the theme of the AU Summit of 2012, “Boosting Intra-African Trade”. We thank our Member States and the private sector from East and Central Africa for responding to our invitation at such short notice, to reflect with us on the prospects and challenges of Industrialization on our continent.
Advocacy on Industrialization for Africa’s sustainable development has reached an important level. As many of you are aware, a Joint Conference of AU and UNECA Ministers of Finance and Planning will meet next month under the theme of Industrialization. It will be an opportunity to continue to advocate for Member States to invest in their industrialization agenda, especially at a time when we are preparing for the Post-2015 agenda, which should include development indicators that are linked to job creation, skills development, tertiary and technical education in order to spur innovation and economic growth from the youthful population of our continent. In this regard, we are extremely proud to learn that Kenya and other countries in East Africa are leading in the ICT revolution such as mobile banking, mobile lending and savings, linking people in the urban and rural areas and indeed across generations. We commend your efforts towards regional integration, evidenced by the importance that you attach to regional industrial policy. Your success story and others’ milestones and achievements can be shared for the benefit of the continent. At the end of the day, the mandate that Heads of State and Government have given to the Ministers of Industry is to forge ahead with the implementation of the Accelerated Industrialization Strategy for Africa. It is a momentous task, but my belief is that Rome was not built in one day. We need your personal commitment to make progress on mobilizing resources for the implementation of AIDA.
Excellencies
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
It has come to my attention during the short period that I have been with the Commission that there are efforts being made to implement AIDA. Our partners UNECA and UNIDO are all making important contributions amongst other agencies, under the leadership of RECs and Member States. A concrete example of a successful pilot project is the Investment Monitoring Platform, which was implemented in 19 countries, in different regions. This project deserves to be highlighted because it provides the embryo of the African Trade Observatory that will enable us to track trade and investment flows in a timely manner based on information gathered by the private sector. It is a project that has been embraced by some of the RECs, such as COMESA, ECOWAS and others. However, the main constraint is the mobilization of sufficient funding to allow all RECs to participate and benefit from the initiative. This is a low hanging fruit that can be harvested if we join hands and decide to act in concert.
As the Commission, our main challenge is our ability to coordinate and monitor the impact of these collective actions, due to limited human resource capacity. That is why the establishment of the Implementation Coordination Unit is a goal that is close to my heart because it will inspire confidence that we are now ready to move forward. We are optimistic that this gap will be addressed during 2013 as it is indeed one of our priorities.
Excellencies
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Our meeting today is indeed very important and timely. As you are aware, the 20th Ordinary Session of CAMI has been scheduled for the second week of June 2013, in Nairobi, under the theme “Accelerating Industrialization for Africa within the post 2015 Development Agenda”. It is therefore opportune for us to pave the way to a successful CAMI-20 by discussing strategies that will overcome the challenges facing the implementation of AIDA. We have agreed that resources can be mobilized from different sources. Our belief is that we must make haste slowly. We must be absolutely confident that we have prepared well and that we are putting our best foot forward in our resources mobilization. One of the key questions in this regard is to also reflect on the sustainability issue. It may be possible to fund technical expertise on a short-term basis, which may be good, but we need to build the institutional capacity in the medium and long term. We should also craft an agenda for CAMI-20 that is compelling for your colleagues to attend. We need high level participation and commitment in order to make a difference, as we know it is finally Africa’s turn.
Excellencies
The Year 2013 is a special year for Africa. We will celebrate 50 years of the OAU/AU and in this regard there will be a moment of reflection on the development path we have taken so far, and consider how we can move forward to deliver tangible and visible results. We are fortunate that the work of industry is concrete, where a factory goes up, people get jobs, goods flow across borders and wealth is created. We believe that a united Africa, a prosperous Africa, which is at peace with itself and its neighbours is our common vision as a Union.
I look forward to fruitful deliberations during the course of this meeting.
Thank you for your attention.
Dates:
February 13, 2013
File:
English
2050 AIM Strategy
English
Statement By H.E Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime at the Side Event on Development Of Africa Regional Flagship Programmes for the Effective Implementation of of the Rio+20 Outcomes In Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 22 February 2013
STATEMENT BY H.E MRS. RHODA PEACE TUMUSIIME, THE COMMISIONER FOR RURAL ECONOMY AND AGRICULTURE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
read for her by
Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture
AT THE SIDE EVENT ON DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA REGIONAL FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RIO+20 OUTCOMES IN AFRICA
The FIRST UNIVERSAL SESSION OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME AND GLOBAL MINISTERIAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM
NAIROBI, KENYA, 22 FEBRUARY 2013
Your Excellency Terezya L. Huvisa, Minister of State- Environment, Vice-President’s Office of Tanzania and President of AMCEN
H.E Mrs Christina Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Dr. Desta Mebratu, UNEP Regional Representative and Deputy Director for Africa
Representatives from AfDB, UNECA, and UNDP
Distinguished Delegates, Partners, Ladies and Gentlemen
My name is Abebe Haile Gabriel. I am the Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission. I bring you greetings from Her Excellency Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture who, unfortunately could not be here with us this afternoon but has asked me to represent her.
I have the honour to address you all at the side event on “Development of Africa Regional Flagship Programmes for the Effective Implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes in Africa” in the margins of the UNEP’s First universal session of the Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum.
Allow me to recall Africa’s legacy at Rio+20 illustrated by a strong commitment, dedication and a clear sense of priorities in order to achieve sustainable development on the Continent. Africa was fully mobilized under the strong leadership by African Heads of State and Government, which resulted, as you know, in the successful presentation and negotiations of Africa’s common position at Rio+20.
I would like to take this opportunity to deliver our appreciation to all partners here in accompanying Africa’s successful participation at Rio+20 and who, once again, are gathered here to support the implementation of its outcomes in Africa.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon said at Rio+20 Conference, “The speeches are over. Now the work begins.” Indeed, it is time for us to translate our commitments into effective action on the ground in order to build the sustainable future of this Continent.
It gives me tremendous pride to share with you today that Africa has already embarked on its implementation process of the Rio+20 outcomes.
In accordance with the Decision of the 19th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU in July 2012, as H.E The President of AMCEN alluded to earlier on, African Ministers of Environment have developed a roadmap for the effective implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes, which includes development of Key Africa Regional Flagship Programmes at the 14th Session of AMCEN in September 2012, in Arusha, Tanzania.
I am pleased to share with you that the recommendations, decisions and messages contained in the AMCEN report were presented at the 20th African Union Summit in January 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and were well received and commended. In particular, the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU endorsed the development and implementation of Africa Regional Flagship programmes within the framework of the Rio + 20 Outcomes which relate to Africa.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
We have observed the strong political commitments from our leaders in Africa and we have all mandates needed given by our member states for the implementation of the outcomes of Rio+20. Now it is time to develop these Regional Flagship Programmes including clear modalities for implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of progress on regular basis. This is an important forum for providing guidance on the process leading towards developing and implementing Africa flagship programmes.
I would like to assure you of the full commitment of the African Union Commission in this endeavour and its determination to see this process through. I also would like to call on our partners in Africa and beyond to join and support our efforts to generate positive changes in Africa and make these flagship programmes one of the key milestones in achieving African renaissance in line with the Theme of the 50th Anniversary of OAU, predecessor to AU, which we will mark this year in May.
I thank you for your attention.
Dates:
February 22, 2013
File:
English
Opening Remarks by H.E. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace Commissioner, Department for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia AMCEN Bureau, Nairobi, Kenya , 17 February 2013
Opening Remarks by H.E. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace
Commissioner, Department for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
AMCEN Bureau
17 February 2013
Nairobi, Kenya
Honourable Minister of State-Environment in Tanzania, and the AMCEN President
Honourable Ministers, Members of AMCEN Bureau
Director of the Regional Office for Africa
Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me start by welcoming you and also conveying to you the warm greetings and best wishes from the Chairperson of the African Union, HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
I would also like to register appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to myself and members of my delegation since our arrival in Nairobi. I would, in particular, like to thank UNEP and the AMCEN Secretariat and other partners for the cooperation and collaboration with the African Union Commission and all the special efforts and hard work involved in convening this important meeting of AMCEN Bureau.
Truly, our event today is taking place after receiving with great shock and sadness the death of some 68 Mozambicans after recent heavy rains earlier this month in Northern and Central Mozambique, which have affected 350,000 people and displaced nearly 170,000. The floods, which have also hit neighboring South Africa and Zimbabwe, are the result of days of torrential rains that swelled the Limpopo River to devastating levels.
Meanwhile, our meeting today is taking place after Rio+20; the 19th and 20th Sessions of the AU Summit which called upon the AMCEN to conduct a substantive analysis of the RIO+20 outcomes; and 14th AMCEN Session in Arusha in September 2012, which decided to develop and implement regional flagship programs as a means to ensure the effective implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes. It also comes after the global climate change negotiations, CoP18/CMP8 in Doha, Qatar. This is, indeed, a momentous occasion and a critical juncture.
Excellences,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our meeting today, therefore , offers an opportunity to debate ways and means for implementing outcomes of the Rio+20 Summit and AMCEN decisions and Arusha Declaration adopted by AMCEN at its 14th Session.
Indeed, to maintain the momentum built by the Rio+20 process, the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2012 adopted a decision, calling on the Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme and other partners to intensify efforts to facilitate and coordinate effectively the implementation of Rio+20 outcomes to support Africa’s sustainable development agenda. The Commission for her part remains ready to support the work of all stakeholders and partners in this direction.
The AU Executive Council, at the just concluded 20th AU Summit, endorsed the recommendations drawn by the 14th Session of AMCEN for development and implementation of the regional flagship programs and the establishment of the African group of negotiators on biodiversity and its coordination mechanism at Expert, Ministerial and Heads of State and Government levels, taking into account the relevant decisions of the AU Assembly and the Executive Council on the establishment of specialized technical committees and their operationalization in 2014. Report on practical modalities for STCs operationalization was submitted to the January 2013 AU Summit.
I am pleased to report that the AU Commission in collaboration with AMCEN Secretariat, UNECA, AfDB and the NEPAD Agency organized an expert joint working session in Addis Ababa to discuss and agree on the key principles and approaches that are to be followed in the development and implementation of the Flagship programs.
Excellences,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Regarding preparations for the UNFCCC COP 19, the AU Executive Council also endorsed the coordination function of Conference of African Heads of State on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) to ensure that Africa, as usual speaks with one voice, advancing one common position in the global climate change negotiations. The coordination of CAHOSCC will rotate for a period of two years for two Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the UNFCCC. The President of AMCEN will serve as Coordinator at the Heads of State and Ministerial levels to enhance linkage between the AMCEN processes to CAHOSCC in addition to providing the necessary support given the nature of expectations at this level. Furthermore, the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) experts elected at the UNFCCC forum will serve as CAHOSCC Coordinator at the Experts’ level. This arrangement further enhances the cohesion and effectiveness of Africa’s unified negotiating mechanism.
To face the challenge posed by climate change impacts on Africa’s development prospects in particular its ability to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the AUC, as requested by AU Assembly decision (EX.CL/Dec.500 (XV) Rev. 1) has prepared in collaboration with its partners a comprehensive climate change strategy that was reviewed by AMCEN at its 13th Extraordinary session in Bamako, Mali. This draft strategy is being finalized. In addition, as requested by AMCEN, the Commission is working towards integrating a disaster risk reduction and meteorological components into the climate change strategy.
The AU Commission in collaboration with Member States and partners celebrate annually the Africa Environment Day with the aim of raising awareness on the environmental challenges facing the continent. Since last year the Wangari Mathaai Day has been combined with the Africa Environmental Day celebration. Early next month, the celebration of this year will be hosted by Tunisia. We encourage all AU Member States to use this day and other avenues to promote awareness of sound environment management and commitment to principles of sustainable development.
Excellences,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my conviction that the AMCEN Bureau has a critical role to play in ensuring the effective implementation of AMCEN decisions. I am also sure that strengthening partnerships and working more closely will move the African Environment Agenda forward faster.
In this regard, I wish to reassure you that the African Union Commission will continue to support AMCEN activities towards promoting environmental sustainability on the continent especially as we mark, this year, 50 years of the existence of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU), predecessor to the African Union and under the Theme: Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance. We will be strategizing on Africa’s vision for the next 50 years and as such the efforts of AMCEN on sustainable development are pertinent.
Your Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for your kind attention.
Dates:
February 17, 2013
File:
English
Pages
