PRESS RELEASE
Ministerial session of the STC on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment Sector opens with a focus on enhancing environmental and agricultural transformation to achieve food and nutrition security for the advancement of Africa’s Agenda 2063
Addis Ababa, 9 October 2016 –The Ministerial segment of the second Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment opened 5th October 2017 at the AUC Headquarters.
The STC under the theme, “Enhancing environmental and agricultural transformation to achieve food and nutrition security in advancing Agenda 2063,” discussed relevant strategic goals and linkages in ongoing agriculture, rural development, water and environment related initiatives and their implications on the achievement of the overarching goals set out in the ten-year implementation plan of Africa’s Agenda 2063, to transform Africa.
Speaking during the opening, H.E Josefa Sacko, AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, briefed the Ministers of the progress made by the Department on various initiatives since the last STC in 2015.
She reiterated the AUC’s commitment to work with the Ministers to validate various areas including; strengthening mutual accountability and the Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard to be able to bridge the capacity gap in data collection and evidence based planning meant to trigger the implementation of the AU Malabo Declaration; and proposing strong policy recommendations to ensure sustainable utilization of the vast natural resources for transformative and inclusive growth in Africa.
“If we collectively work to achieve food and nutrition security, wealth creation, and sustainable development, we will be contributing to the realization of the African Union Vision and Mission for an integrated, peaceful, and prosperous Africa, centered on the wellbeing of African citizens. “Commissioner Sacko said. “We will be contributing to the realization of Africa Agenda 2063 on inclusive growth, sustainable development and shared prosperity.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the STC, representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Ethiopia, Mr. Dejene Habesha, urged the ministers, experts and stakeholders to ensure that there were clear complementarities and linkages among the sectors represented to effectively implement the decisions of AU Heads of State and Government.
He reiterated the Government of Ethiopia’s commitment to the CAADP and Malabo Declaration, citing it as the way to the ‘Africa We Want’ as envisaged in Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The Report of the outcomes of the STC will be submitted for consideration at the AU Assembly in January 2018.

For more information, contact

Ms. Carol Jilombo;
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture; AUC;
Jilomboc@africa-union.org

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
Follow us
Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanUnionCommission
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_AfricanUnion
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/AUCommission