High Level Political Dialogue on Sustainable Financing Mechanisms as lever for Quality Education and Skills Development in Africa in the 21st Century

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February 16, 2025

MEDIA ADVISORY

High Level Political Dialogue on Sustainable Financing Mechanisms as lever for Quality Education and Skills Development in Africa in the 21^st Century

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

MEDIA ADVISORY

What: The African Union (AU) Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation is hosting a High Level Political Dialogue on Sustainable Financing Mechanisms as lever for Quality Education and Skills Development in Africa in the 21^st Century.

When: 16 February 2025

Where: AU Headquarters, Addis Ababa

Time: 1100 - 1300

Who: African Union Commission Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, AU Member States representatives; development partners, policy makers and governments, donors, private sector stakeholders, youth, education experts and civil society.

Why: In December 2024, the African Union Commission, the Government of Mauritania, and UNICEF, jointly convened a Continental Conference on Education, Youth, and Employability from 9 to 11 December 2024 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The Conference served as the culmination of the wider AU Year of Education, and addressed a range of critical issues, including that that of sustainable financing of education on the continent. Following extensive technical engagement, and high-level political discussion, participants issued the ‘Nouakchott Declaration’. On the issue of financing of education, the Nouakchott Declaration calls African Union Member States, and Education Partners to increase funding for education by implementing concrete actions.

The 38^th Summit of the Head of States and Governments of the African Union provides an important opportunity to garner further support for the calls within the Nouakchott Declaration, and specifically to mobilize political will at the highest level of the continent for the implementation of the commitments relating to education financing and governance of the education sector detailed therein.

Objectives:

It is anticipated that this event will reaffirm the continent’s commitment to the transforming education agenda as detailed in the Nouakchott Declaration, with a particular emphasis on financing education:

Specifically, the event will:

• Reinforce the calls made within the Nouakchott Declaration, including the call for a Decade of Accelerated Action in Education, and the elimination of Learning Poverty in Africa by 2035, as well as highlighting the key role of the African Union End Learning Poverty for All in Africa, AU ELPAF Campaign in achieving these Goals.

• Raise awareness of the status of education financing on the continent in both stable and humanitarian/crisis contexts.

• Showcase good practices and innovative initiatives regarding financing of education in the continent and beyond.

• Advocate for a 10-year special funding commitment by AU Member States, and international development partners, targeting education - particularly early childhood development and education, and foundational literacy and numeracy, to support the achievement of the Goals detailed within the Nouakchott Declaration.

• Share the recommendations of efforts towards SDG4 in Africa, including on education financing (via Continental SDG4 Report).

Expected Outcomes: The side event will generate a Communique through which the following outcomes will be expected:

• Great awareness and acceptance of the Nouakchott Declaration which includes a call for a decade of accelerated education and the elimination of learning poverty in Africa by 2035.

• Increase awareness of the status of financing of education on the continent and required urgent actions drawn from existing good practices and innovative initiatives.

• A call for a 10-year special funding commitment for education in Africa.

• Share the Continental SDG4 Report which includes the recommendations related to education financing.

Media representatives are invited to cover the High Level Political Dialogue on Sustainable Financing Mechanisms as lever for Quality Education and Skills Development in Africa in the 21st Century on 16 February 2025 from 11:00 am EAT

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org