The Third Pilot Programme Series on the use of the State Parties Assessment Tool (SPAT) kicked off

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September 28, 2022

The Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the AU Commission organized the third pilot programme series on the use of the State Parties Assessment Tool (SPAT) on the implementation and reporting to the AU Charter on Public Service which kicked off on 28 September 2022 in Swakopmund, Republic of Namibia.

The capacity building programme aligned with the declaration of the Second Conference of State Parties to the Charter held on 29 April 2021 (Para 3) ‘inviting Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Cameroun to pilot the operationalization of the SPAT’.

The objectives of the training were to: (a) Familiarize participants with the provisions of the Charter and tools for effective reporting on its implementation; (b) Make participants understand when and how to conduct a state party assessment and the requirements for ensuring objective and impartial assessments; (c) Capacitate participants with the SPAT framework for assessing implementation performance and the detailed mechanics and technicalities of its administration; and (d) Learn how to summarize findings and conclusions into a factual, good quality and coherent implementation assessment report .

In his opening remarks, Hon. Neville Andre, Governor of the Erongo Region, welcomed all participants to the town of Swakopmund in Namibia. He also thanks the Office of Prime Minister for having selected the Erongo Region and Swakopmund to host this very important pilot program on the use of the State Parties Assessment Tool (SPAT) on the implementation and reporting to the AU Charter on Public Service.

Speaking on behalf of H.E. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, (AUC), Mr. Issaka Garba Abdou, Acting Head of the Governance and Human Rights Division extended warm and fraternal greetings from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, HE Moussa Faki Mohamat to the Rt. Hon Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia and congratulated the government and the people of the Republic of Namibia for its leadership and commitment towards the implementation of this important tool at national level. He informed the meeting about the objective of the Pilot Program which is to provide participants from Namibia with an in-depth appreciation and understanding of the Charter, the Reporting Guidelines for the Charter and the SPAT as a mechanism for effective reporting on the implementation of the Charter.

He reiterated the priorities of the African Union's Agenda 2063, which envisages an Africa, with solid institutions are at the service of the people, thus, our duty to make the ‘Public Service’ an important and effective means for the socio-economic development of our respective countries. He concluded by thanking all the experts/civil servants from the different public institutions in this training and in particular the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia for the sacrifice and sterling efforts availed to make sure this third pilot program series on the use of SPAT is well organized. He finally wished all participants fruitful deliberations.

In her opening remarks, Honourable Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, expressed her gratefulness as a country for the opportunity granted to them to roll out the Pilot Program on the use of the State Parties Assessment Tool (SPAT) in the Republic of Namibia and continuous AU support.

She further stated that being a Member of African Union, Namibia adopted and ratified the African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration which affirms their political commitment to strengthening professionalism and ethics in the public service.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia highlighted the pivotal role of the public service as a state institution whose main objective is to plan, organize and ensure control of the resources needed for the effective public service delivery to citizens. “It is, thus a very dynamic component of the governance system of any State. It extends from healthcare services, education provision, provision of transport infrastructure, or other social basic services such as housing, social amnesties, all of which is to benefit all the community people”, said Honourable Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. She concluded by recognizing the aspirations of the AU African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration, which aims to ensure that we promote the values and principles governing the organization of Public Service and Administration.

The pilot program had in attendance more than 50 Public/Civil servants from the different Public Institutions in the Republic of Namibia as the key stakeholders and beneficiaries of this training.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Issaka Garba Abdou – Ag. Head of Governance & Human Rights Division| Political Affairs, Peace & Security Department | African Union Commission Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: garbaabdoui@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia