Your Excellency Jessica Alupo, Vice President of the Republic of Uganda,
Your Excellency Dr. Mohamed Salem Merzoug, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Mauritanians abroad of the Islamic Republic Mauritania and Chair of the Executive Council of the African Union,
Your Excellency, Hon. John Mulimba, State Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda,
Your Excellency Frank Tumwebaze, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda and Chair of the STC on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment,
Your Excellency Dr. Girma Amante, Minister of Agriculture of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,
Your Excellency Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Your Excellency Ambassador Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture and Blue Economy of the African Union Commission,
Excellecies Ministers,
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like thank the Government and people of the Republic of Uganda for the warm hospitality accorded to us since our arrival in the friendly and beautiful City of Kampala.

I would also like to convey a message of regrets from your brother, H.E Dr. Gedion Timothewos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, who could not attend this meeting due to unforeseen circumstances. And I will deliver his message as follows.

I quote:-
“I would like to commend the Ministers of agriculture for their commendable works in charting out Africa’s post-Malabo CAADP agenda and the future of our agriculture. Thank you Commissioner Josefa Sacko and her team for your commitment and hard work to support the work of our flagship project.

We have put agriculture at the heart of our flagship projects of agenda 2063. We did rightfully so as our continent is endowed with the riches that should put us in the right trajectory in terms of achieving sustainable and resilient agriculture and agrifood system.

We all recall that during the fourth biennial review report we have agreed that there were several exemplary efforts in the continent to meet the seven goals we set our selves, particularly in the advancement of investment finance, ending hunger, boosting intra Africa trade in agriculture, resilience to climate vulnerabilities. However, these successes were very much scattered, whereby out of 49 countries that have reported to the biennial review report, over half of these countries are lagging behind in, meeting the targets we have set for ourselves.

The African Union had made a landmark decision to transform agriculture in the continent with the adoption of Maputo declaration on CAADP back in 2003. This initiative was further cemented by the Malabo commitments in 2014, which set a target to allocate 10 percent of the GDP to agricultural development and register at least 6 percent growth rate per annum. However, after two decades of implementation, Africa continues to depend on import to feed itself.

In February last year, AU’s Champion for CAADP, My Prime Minister, H.E Dr. Abiy Ahmed, submitted a biennial review report to the Assembly. The report revealed that no country is on track to achieve the Malabo targets by end of the Malabo declaration in 2025. Though the continent is not on track to achieve the Malabo targets considering overall performance, there are also commendable success stories on country specific implementations and in terms of coordination and mutual accountability as a continent. The report is crucial in informing our decision-making processes and future course of actions. It would serve as a foundation for our ongoing efforts to address the challenges and harness the opportunities as we are examining the Post-Malabo CAADP Strategy and Action Plan.

Excellences
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As we deliberate on Post-Malabo CAADP Agenda, we have to mobilize efforts to build a sustainable and resilient agrifood system that among others would require us to tackle in earnest the challenges of climate change, apply agro technological schemes that support us increasing productivity in the agro-food sector. We must also make sure that no one is left behind, embracing our small and medium agro sector as well as support the youth and women. This would require us to give emphasis on the requisite finance and investment mobilization to meet the targets we put forward in the Post-Malabo Strategy.

Excellences
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ethiopia's commitment to CAADP will continue through various initiatives and programs aimed at improving agricultural productivity, enhancing market access for farmers, promoting sustainable land management, and addressing rural poverty. Ethiopia is committed to implementing the post-Malabo CAADP Strategy and Action plan to enhance its agriculture sector.

Ethiopia, as a Champion country, is ready to work hand in gloves with the AU and Member States to make sure our continent draws lessons from the past two decades of journey of CAADP and move forward to make up for the targets we should have met. It is ready to share its own gains through the following three pronged agriculture development targets; its achievements in heat tolerant wheat production and self-sufficiency in short period of time, massive forestation schemes in fighting climate change through its Green Legacy Initiative, as well as build food sustainable and resilient approach through the initiative of bounty of the basket.
Ethiopia also seizes this opportunity to call on all Member States to renew their commitments to the Post-Malabo CAADP frameworks to transform Africa’s agricultural landscape and realize food sovereignty.”

End of quote

I thank you!