Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 26, 2017- As the African Union implements its transformative framework, Agenda 2063, the Commission is keen on institutional reforms that create a conducive environment to drive the vision of an integrated and united continent. The Commission has introduced various capacity building initiatives, such as the Kaizen project, to manage and enhance performance across the organization.

Officiating the completion of the “Project on Capacity Building for Kaizen Implementation in the African Union Commission,” the African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson H.E Ambassador Kwesi Quartey lauded the Kaizen Project which he observed had improved the professional capacity at the Commission, to make it more responsive to member states and stakeholders. “We operate in a very dynamic world and therefore, as an organization, we can only remain relevant by advancing our competitiveness. This competitiveness can only be achieved when our systems are effective, when we utilize our resources effectively by reducing waste, by minimizing our turnover and response period, and so on,”, he noted.

Inaugurated two years ago, the Kaizen Project has built capacity and improved services in a number of key areas within the Commission. One such are is the automation of the documents-tracking system. As a result, the use of paper within the Commission has reduced from 100% to 18%, while the response time to staff inquiries reduced from 4 hours to 5 minutes per day.

Another key milestone is the acceleration of medical clearance for staff. From a medical clearance process that would take two months to complete, with the introduction of the Kaizen project, the process has been reduced to less than three days.

Delays in the renewal of contracts have also been significantly reduced. At the same time, the project has reduced queues for security clearance for visitors and guests through a pre-registration system for visitors among other milestones.

The Deputy Chairperson observes that a literate and numerate population in the continent would advance a platform through which an educated and skills oriented youth population can utilize their experience, research and problem-solving innovations, towards the realization of Agenda 2063. This, he says, would advance the goal of an Africa whose development is people-driven. “Our highest and most valuable resource is our people, especially our young people, our women and our youth. We want an integrated continent, and a politically united continent. Kaizen can help us to achieve this vision through skills transfer”, he stated.

Kaizen is undertaken in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Amb. Kwesi commended the Japanese Government, through JICA, for the collaboration and exposure of best practices.

For media enquiries Contact:

Doreen Apollos | Communication Advisor | Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson | E-mail: ApollosD@africa-union.org | Tel: +251 115182737

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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The African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens. AU Vision: to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission. Learn more at: http://www.au.int/en/