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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!