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Opening Statement of Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson, African Union at the Retreat on Strengthening Collaboration between the AUC-ECA-AfDB and the Regional Economic Communities

08 December 2014
Johannesberg, South Africa

Excellency, the Deputy Executive Secretary of UNECA

Excellency, the Vice-President of the African Development Bank

Distinguished Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The beginning of the new millennium opened up a good opportunity for Africa to launch a big new initiative for development. As Africa celebrated its 50th anniversary since the founding of the OAU in 1963, Africa’s political leadership acknowledged past achievements and challenges and rededicated itself to the Pan African vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.” The 2013 Summit tasked the African Union Commission (AUC), supported by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), to prepare such a continental agenda through a people-driven process. It embarked on a consultative process to develop a vision for the next 50 years – the outcome was Agenda 2063 launched on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the OAU.

Agenda 2063, a plan for Africa’s structural transformation, was agreed upon as a long term roadmap with milestones and strategies to achieve this vision in the shortest possible time. The converging voices of Africans of different backgrounds have expressed vividly what they desire for themselves and the continent in the future. This has culminated in defining the seven common set of aspirations: i) A Prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development; ii) An Integrated Continent, Politically United, based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the Vision of Africa’s Renaissance; iii) An Africa of Good Governance, Respect for Human Rights, Justice and the Rule of Law; iv) A Peaceful and Secure Africa; v) An Africa with a strong Cultural Identity, Common Heritage, Values and Ethics; vi) An Africa whose development is people-driven, especially relying on the potential offered by its women and youth; and vii) Africa as a Strong, Resilient and Influential Global Player and Partner. These seven aspirations show strong convergence with the AU Vision, and are in line with the eight priorities of the OAU/AU 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration. In addition, they collectively demonstrate a strong continuity of thinking between the Founders’ and the present generation of Africans, albeit in a different context.

Distinguished Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In similar vein, the post 2015 development agenda evolved as a critical milestone towards the realization of Agenda 2063, and provides a good opportunity for Africa to complete the unfinished business of the MDGs. The post-2015 universal agenda looks like being bolder and more transformational than what preceded it. There is also broad agreement that it should be a universal agenda – applying to all countries - developed and developing.

At the global level, the findings from the universal consultations informed the deliberations of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was appointed by the UN General Assembly. The seventeen goals and 169 targets which it has proposed do reflect much of what people have said they want in the new agenda, including some of the most transformative elements.

As a prelude to the adoption of the global SDGs, Africa developed its post-2015 development agenda commonly known as an African Position (CAP) based on the premise that the realization of the vision of Agenda 2063 requires transformation in critical Pan African priority areas. The CAP emanates from the decision of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Union of July 2012 (Assembly/AU/Dec.423 (XIX), which mandates the African Union Commission, in close consultation with Members States and Regional Economic Communities, to identify Africa’s priorities for the post-2015 Development Agenda. This document represents the aspirations of the African people and their contribution to the global debate on the formulation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The CAP identifies substantive issues of importance to Africa and arrives at a consensus on Africa’s key priorities, concerns and strategies to be reflected in the outcomes of the post-2015 negotiation process. This was achieved by taking into account the wealth of information collected and collated from national and regional stakeholders (the executive and legislative arms of governments, private sector, civil society organizations, youth associations, women groups, trade unions, and academia) African multilateral institutions and selected pertinent UN organizations and agencies. The Cap is based on six pillars that are critical to African aspirations: i) Structural economic transformation and inclusive growth; ii) science, technology and innovation; iii) people-centered development; iv) environmental sustainability, natural resources management and disaster risk management; v) peace and security; and vi) finance and partnerships.

Distinguished Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Towards the realization of the overall development agenda, aspirations of the Agenda 2063 and the expressed post-2015 African position, regional integration has been seen as a key element of the development strategy of African countries in the post–independence period. The importance attached to regional integration as an instrument for the promotion of socio-economic development is reflected in the large number of integration schemes on the continent. Regional integration in Africa is crucial for the attainment of competitiveness and effective integration of the continent into the global trading system and for addressing some of the developmental challenges.

The blue print for Africa’s economic integration was laid by the Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (AEC). In spite of the importance attached to it in Africa’s development strategy; progress towards the achievement of the AEC has been unsatisfactory. Many of the milestones set for the establishment are yet to be achieved. Adopted in 1991 by the OAU Heads of State and Government, the Treaty provides for the economic integration of Africa, over a period of 34 years and in six stages of variable duration. Pursuant to this decision, eight of the existing fourteen regional integration groupings in Africa have been recognized by the African Union (AU) as the building blocks of Pan-African continental integration. All African countries belong to at least one regional integration grouping, while half of the countries have multiple membership of two or more integration schemes. We all are aware that these institutions are faced with weaknesses relating to sovereignty issues, inadequacy of resources and capacities; and lack of empowerment - just to mention a few.

Distinguished Participants,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It was in response to the directives of the Heads of State decision of that the Joint Secretariat comprising of the Chief Executives of OAU, ECA, and AfDB was established in 1989 by the three organizations. This was further strengthened by signing an MOU among the 3 JSIs leading to the establishment of the Joint Secretariat Support Office (JSSO), to serve as the operational mechanism and for the Joint Secretariat.

Since the signing of the MOU in 2010, JSSO under the guidance of the Steering Committee has been an active partner in contributing to and supporting the various initiatives of the JSIs in strengthening their collaboration. JSSO has also been working with the RECs, albeit at a lesser degree. Notwithstanding its important role , JSSO’s efforts have been met with some challenges that hamper its contribution.

Your unstinted support and valuable input, dear delegates, is therefore important as the effectiveness and efficiency of this Office is critical for the success of the joint efforts of the AU-ECA-AfDB and the RECs in the promotion of Africa’s economic integration and development.

I thank you for your kind attention.

Statement of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, on the occassion of the send-off of the ASEOWA Nigeria Corps and the Launch of the Africa Againts Ebola fundraising campaign

3 December 2014, LAGOS

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Excellencies, Minister of Health, Dr. Khalliru Alhassan
Excellencies, Representatives of the Governors of Lagos and of the River State Representatives of the Nigerian Government, the Centre for Disease Control, Health officials
Representatives from the Private Sector and the Mobile Network Operators
Ms. Geraldine Fraser Moleketi, Special Envoy on Gender of the African Development Bank
My brothers sharing the stage, Aliko Dangote and Strive Masiyiwa
Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps
The ASEOWA Nigerian Corps of Volunteers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My Fellow Africans
The Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is unprecedented, in terms of location, its duration, the number of infections and deaths, and the panic and fear it caused globally.
It severely impacts on families, health workers and women, who are at the frontline of the disease, and it interrupts the schooling of children.
But, the courage of the people, the efforts of governments and the heroism of health workers and volunteers, have given rise to hope and determination, that working together we can stop Ebola.
Our coordinated, comprehensive and solidarity in this crisis is therefore necessary.
Most important, as a result of the severe strain on health workers, we require health personnel (doctors, technicians, clinicians, epidimiologists, nurses) that can help with the immediate and urgent interventions.
Less than a month ago, the AU convened a Business Roundtable on Ebola in Addis Ababa, to discuss how we can work together to scale up our efforts to deploy larger numbers of health workers under the banner of ASEOWA. We agreed to work together to mobilise resources so that by the end of the year we have 1000 or more health workers in the field, fighting the disease.
The Private sector responded to this call for solidarity with enthusiasm, and I am pleased to announce that the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust has been registered, and we have received financial pledges and donations from a Founders list of sixteen (16) companies/groups of companies and families:
1. the MTN Group
2. the Dangote Group and Foundation
3. Econet Wireless Global Limited
4. the Motsepe Family
5. Afriexim Bank
6. the Stenbeck Family
7. Coca Cola Africa and Eurasia
8. Quality Group
9. United Bank for Africa
10. Barclays Africa Group Limited
11. Vitol Group of Companies and Vivo Energy
12. Old Mutual
13. Nedbank Group
14. Shoreline Natural Resources Limited
15. Syngenta ; and
16. Vodafone, Safaricom and Vodacom
In addition, the African Development Bank pledged 10 million USD towards this combined effort.
The companies and the Bank made these financial commitments, and along with others such as Standard Chartered Bank, Quality Group, Millicom, Deloitte, Coca Cola, Kinnevik, Appleby, and others are contributing their competence and networks towards the solidarity effort to stop Ebola. These contributions are in addition to generous financial and other donations already made to the three countries directly.
At the Roundtable, we announced a fundraising campaign by mobile network operators to raise resources from African citizens to stop Ebola. We are today launching the Africa Against Ebola Campaign, where Africans from all walks of life can donate, by responding to their local cellphone operator and SMS STOP EBOLA to the number 7979. Donations can also be made through the Africa Against Ebola website.
As we launch this campaign, our special thanks go to the companies who helped drive the initiative : Airtel, Econet Wireless, Etisalat, Tigo, MTN, Orange, Safaricom, Vodacom and Vodafone Ghana. We thank the Ministeries and Regulators of Member States who responded to our plea to make this possible.
We call on other mobile network operators across the continent to join the campaign and providing ordinary Africans with an avenue to help stop Ebola.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Our strongest gratitude goes towards the women and men you see behind me today, the ASEOWA volunteers. They have just completed their pre-deployment training and will be joining the volunteers from the African Union already in the field in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The ASEOWA volunteers, working with the health officials, workers and volunteers from the three countries, along with all other volunteers like those from Médecins Sans Frontières, the Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, and others, are at the frontlines of the efforts to stop Ebola.
We thank you for your courage, commitment and for embodifying the spirit of Pan African solidarity. We thank the Federal Government of Nigeria for supporting the deployment of the ASEOWA Nigeria Corps, and for the contributions of the various states to this effort.
We congratulate the Nigerian Government and People, for mounting a very effective public health response to the threat of Ebola, resulting in their Ebola free status.
We hope the airlines in the region and continent will follow the example of Pan African solidarity showed by the Nigerian health workers and by Air I’Voire and others, by resuming flights to the affected countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen
We in the African Union are determined to honour our pledge that we shall deploy a thousand or more workers by the end of this year.
But we need the support of the private sector, and call on African business to take the lead to organise national fundraising events in all Member states.
We need the support of our citizens, to SMS their donations in response to the campaign of their mobile network operator.
We need the support of our governments, to work with us to realise the pledges they made to provide health workers and volunteers.
Together we can stop Ebola
Asanta Sane !
Merci becoup!
Shokran!
Obrigado!
Gracias!

Statement by H.E. Mrs Fatima Haram Acyl - AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry at the 9th Ordinary Session of the AU Conference of Ministers of Trade Addis Ababa,
4 December 2014

Protocol
It is a great privilege and honour for me to welcome you, on behalf of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Dr. Dlamini Zuma, to this 9th Ordinary Session of AU Conference of Ministers of Trade. I wish at the outset to express the gratitude of the Commission to our special guest(s), Mr. Azevedo, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Mrs Arancha Gonzales, the Executive Director of ITC, Mr. Achille, the Assistant Secretary General of the ACP Group and Dr. Adbul Hamdok, representing the UNECA Executive Secretary and XXX, representing the Secretary General of UNCTAD--- for taking time from their busy schedules to be with us at this important meeting.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

This session of the Conference has been convened for Ministers to deliberate upon, give guidance, and take decisions on a number of trade issues that are crucial for the socio-economic development of our continent
As Africans, we should be proud of our recent economic growth performance but there should be no room for complacency. Our continent’s current growth has lacked depth, being driven largely by commodity production and trade. As a result, it has been non inclusive, non poverty- reducing, and non employment -generating and hence is not sustainable in the long-run. Africa’s recent economic growth not withstanding, our continent remains the epicenter of global poverty. If the vision set in Agenda 2063 of “an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena “is to be realized, we must intensify our efforts to achieve rapid, inclusive, poverty-reducing and sustainable economic growth

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

In the current era of globalization the major challenge confronting you as African Trade Ministers is to ensure that our continent is well integrated into the global trading system and that trade plays its role as engine of growth and development, and that it contributes to the realization of the vision of a prosperous, strong and united Africa as articulated in the Constitutive Act of the African Union and Agenda 2063.

There are two interrelated pillars of Africa’s trade agenda which require the attention and enhanced focus of our Ministers: (i) the boosting of intra-African trade and the deepening of our market integration and (ii) improving the performance of Africa in global trade and enhancing its meaningful integration into the multilateral trading system. To enable our Ministers to reflect upon and give political guidance on the way forward on these pillars, the Draft programme for this Session of your Conference includes two important panel discussions on the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) and the Trends in Global Trade and Investment. This is in addition to the consideration of the Report of the Meeting of Senior Officials which contains a number of recommendations on these issues.

Honorable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Inspite of the high priority attached to regional integration in our development strategy, progress in this area has been limited. Several milestones in the six stages agreed, in the Abuja Treaty, for the establishment of the African Economic Community has been missed. Of the major regions of the world, Africa has the lowest level of intra-regional trade, which currently stands at about 10-12 per cent.

It is almost three years since the Heads of State and Government adopted the CFTA. The time for rhetoric should now be over and that of concrete action should begin in earnest. As the key policy organ of the AU that has been entrusted with the task of moving the process of Africa’s market integration forward, your Conference has a great responsibility. This includes ensuring that the negotiations of the CFTA begin in 2015 as envisaged in the road map approved by AU Summit and also ensuring the speedy establishment of the organs in the CFTA architecture. Recent developments on the global scene such as the emergence of mega FTAs by key players in world trade have underscored the importance of accelerating Africa’s market integration.

Since the last Ordinary Session of this Conference, the AUC has undertaken a number of activities to move the CFTA process forward. In collaboration with UNECA, UNDP and the RECs, regional consultative meetings have been held to sensitize stakeholders on the CFTA/BIAT initiative and to get their inputs into the process of the implementation as well as key documents including the Draft CFTA Negotiating Principles, the Institutional Framework for the CFTA Negotiations and the Draft Terms of Reference for the CFTA Negotiating Forum. The Meeting of Senior Officials has discussed these documents and made recommendations on them for the consideration and decisions of Ministers. The expectation of the AUC is that your decisions will ensure the early start of the CFTA negotiations as well as its successful completion. We commit to redouble our efforts to undertake the work outlined in the Work plan before the launch of the Negotiations.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

The implementation of the BIAT Action Plan is a critical component of the overall trade and development agenda and it is in this regard that we continue to work on the operationalization of the action plan at the national, regional and continental level. Trade in Services is not only one of the most dynamic sectors of global trade; it is also critical for the modernization and transformation of Africa’s economy. Consequently, the AUC is currently developing a programme of capacity building in trade in services for our continent.

Permit me Honourable Ministers to say a few words about trade facilitation, one of the seven clusters of the BIAT Action Plan endorsed by the AU Summit. Africa cannot boost intra-African trade and participate meaningfully in global trade without addressing the challenges of trade facilitation. Trade facilitation can be said to be low “hanging fruit” among the BIAT Action Plan clusters. Studies have shown that if these challenges are properly addressed, the current 10-12 per cent level of intra-African trade can increase two-fold within a decade.

The AUC is committed to the development and implementation of trade facilitation programmes activities by Member States and the RECs. It is in this regard that we have been organizing regularly the meetings of the Directors –General of Customs Administrations in Africa, who constitute a Sub-Committee of this Conference. The Directors –General have developed and submitted several proposals on trade facilitation issues such as simplified customs regulations and procedures, integrity in customs operations, and interconnectivity of customs information systems: all of which are aimed at the facilitation of trade, reduction of cost of doing business and consequently increasing the competitiveness of African products. Given the crucial importance of trade facilitation for the enhancement of Africa’s intra-African trade as well as the effective integration of the continent into the global trading system, we expect the international community to provide adequate technical and financial support for implementation of trade facilitation programmes and activities in Africa, including those necessitated by the Bali WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

As directed by you Excellences, the Commission is in the process of mobilizing resources from development partners for the implementation of a Special Project on Trade Facilitation in 2015. On the issue of resource mobilization for trade facilitation, I wish to commend the DG of the WTO for putting in place a fund to accompany the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. We hope the scheme will be adequately funded and operate effectively to assist, as envisaged, Members to evaluate needs, develop projects, identify possible development partners, and obtain resources for the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

The position of the AUC is the position of our HoSG in Malabo that Africa should remain committed to a rules-based multilateral trading system and the WTO process in the hope that rules of the resultant agreements will be development-friendly and address the concerns and interests of our countries. It is for this reason that African countries should participate actively in the Post Bali WTO Agenda. However, it cannot be over-emphasized that the strength of Africa in trade negotiations that involve powerful parties lies in unity and solidarity. African countries must continue to speak with a strong and coherent common voice in the defense of our interests in engagement with the rest of the world. At the same time, the continent must be strategic in its positioning and in articulating what it truly desires from the Post Bali negotiations. The continent must not only articulate its desires, but must plan through the different scenarios that can lead to its most favorable outcomes. A Draft Declaration on WTO issues has been reviewed by the meeting of Senior Officials for the consideration of Ministers. I wish at this juncture to express my appreciation to the Group of African Ambassadors in Geneva, some of whose members are attending this conference, for its valuable contribution to the articulation and defense of Africa’s common positions on WTO issues.

As you are aware, the other major set of international trade negotiations that our countries and regions have been involved in for over a decade relates to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union. There are indications that substantial progress has been made in the EPA negotiations across the different RECs. The main preoccupation in this regard is to ensure that EPAs do not weaken our regional and continental integration process and retard the growth of intra-African trade. The AUC will continue to monitor the process of the conclusion, ratification, and implementation of the agreements.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

As you are aware, the first Africa-US Leaders Summit was held in Washington, DC in August 2014 immediately after the AGOA Forum. I am pleased to report that Africa’s request for the renewal of AGOA is receiving favourabe response. The US Administration is doing everything possible to renew and update AGOA in order to increase market access for African products; improve Rules of Origin to provide flexibility, encourage regional integration and the development value chains and achieve more US-Africa trade; and build capacity to meet SPS measures by launching a new SPS policy and regulatory programme to support RECs and the AU’s Year of Agriculture. Much of the credit for this achievement goes to you, Honourable Ministers, for the strong message in your successive Declarations on AGOA and to the Group of African Ambassadors in Washington for its lobbying of US Congress and Administration. We must however continue to intensify our lobbying and advocacy efforts in order to materialize the reauthorization of AGOA as soon as possible and avoid loss of contracts and jobs. The window of opportunity to obtain a seamless reauthorization of AGOA is closing – we need to act now, during the month of December to deploy all our efforts to place this critical issue on the US Congress set of priority legislations.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Our efforts to improve the participation of Africa in global trade have not been limited to AGOA, WTO and EPA negotiations. In the meetings of Africa’s strategic partnerships with other regions and countries of the world, including the emerging powers of the South, the issue of advancing Africa’s trade agenda has been receiving much attention. Part of Africa’s message in such meetings has been the need for a new type of mutually beneficial trade and economic relations that is not anchored primarily on exploitation and export of primary commodities but one that supports Africa’s agenda for industrialization, economic transformation and integration and job creation.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Before I end my statement, permit me to express the profound gratitude of the Commission to the Senior Officials who over the last three days have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this Session of your Conference. Their commitment to the cause of Africa’s development is deeply appreciate.

The enormity of the tasks of using trade as a key instrument for lifting our people out of poverty; achieving rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth; and realizing the vision of Africa encapsulated Agenda 2063 is not in doubt. I am optimistic that as AU Ministers of Trade and stakeholders gathered here will champion the cause of Africa and be positive agents to deliver on the priorities set by our leaders. We need to engage the private sector to take their role, as well as civil society, academia, think thanks and partners. We are sitting on the verge of a significant moment when we take one step closer to fulfilling the vision of our founding fathers. Let us give one significant push and make our children and grandchildren proud!

As the great Nelson Mandela once said: “ IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, UNTIL IT IS DONE.”

I thank you for kind attention and wish you fruitful deliberations.