DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

PRESS RELEASE N0 247/2015

COMMISIONER TUMUSIIME AND USAID DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR DISCUSS SUPPORT ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF AGENDA 2063

NEW YORK 24 September 2015 - The Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union, Mrs. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, on 24 September 2015 met Mrs. Ellis Margot, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to discuss issues pertaining to areas of support by USAID in the context of the African Union development Agenda 2063, specifically in the areas of agriculture and food security.

The meeting, which took place on the margins of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, was aimed at reviewing progress in the implementation of the AU Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Africa Agriculture Growth and Transformation.

The AU Commissioner expressed the hope that the commitments of AU Heads of State and Government would be implemented at country level in order to end hunger and malnutrition by 2025 on the continent. The two principals discussed USAID’s support through “Feed The Future Programme” where Africa is leading the process of enhancing the AUC-Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) technical capacity towards realising Africa’s food and nutrition security aspirations.

The two high officials also discussed the new alliance for food security and nutrition that is channeling G7 support for private sector investment in agriculture through the Grow Africa Initiative, where the AU Commission and the NEPAD Agency are partnering with the World Economic Forum to promote Public Private Partnership (PPP), among others.

They also exchanged views on efforts to ensure that there is no gap with the Multi-Donor Trust Fund at the World Bank, which is coming to an end in 2015, given that this is the time of rolling out the AU Malabo Declaration. In this regard, the Pan African Institutions would be required to heighten their coordination role and support to AU Member States as they implement the CAADP-compliant National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans.
Commissioner Tumusiime expressed gratitude, on behalf of the Chairperson of the AUC, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, for the lead role that USAID has been playing in support of the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). She further called upon the USAID to continue providing necessary support aimed at sustaining the CAADP momentum through the implementation of the AU Malabo Declaration.

Mrs. Ellis Margot assured the AU Commissioner that the US Government would maintain and enhance this productive partnership with the AU Commission.

The meeting was also attended by senior officials from USAID and AUC-DREA.

EAT/
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