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Hon. Neal Rijkenberg, Minister of Finance, Kingdom of Eswatini and the Chairperson of the STC bureau,
Honorable Ministers of Finance Present,
Distinguished Representatives of Central Banks and Debt Management Offices,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Representatives of Think Tanks and Research Institutions, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great honour to join you today at the 11th Africa Think Tank Summit, a gathering that has, over the years, become a symbol of Africa’s intellectual and policy courage. On behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the entire Commission, I warmly welcome you to Addis Ababa, the political and diplomatic heart of our continent.
MIGRATION GOVERNANCE: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE CONTINENT
It is with great honour that I join you at the 2025 Metropolis International Migration Network Summit — a crucial platform for reflection, dialogue and global cooperation on one of the defining issues of our time: migration governance.
Distinguished guests, representatives of the Pan-African Youth Union, ladies and gentlemen,
Today marks a historic step in our collective journey to place Africa’s young people at the very heart of our continent’s development. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is not just a procedural formality, it is a solemn commitment by the African Union Commission to stand side by side with the Pan African Youth Union in advancing the aspirations, rights, and leadership of Africa’s youth.
HON. ENOCH GODONGWA-NA, MINISTER FOR FINANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA,
HON. NEAL RIJKENBERG, CHAIR OF THE STC BUREAU & MINISTER FOR FINANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF ESWATINI,
HONOURABLE MINISTERS OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC PLANNING AND INTEGRATION, AND HEALTH,
MY DEAR SISTER, EXCELLENCY FRANCISCA BELOBE, COMMISSIONER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRADE, TOURISM, INDUSTRY AND MINERALS,
EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS, DELEGATES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
Your Excellencies fellow Ministers,
Governors,
Heads of Multilateral Institutions,
Heads of Delegation, and
Distinguished delegates,
Good morning,
· It is my great honour to be here and deliver the opening remarks for the 8th Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration. This meeting is very crucial, as we confront a shared challenge under the theme “Bridging Africa’s Health Financing Gap in a Changing Geo-Economic Context: Challenges and Potential Solutions.”
Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Excellencies,
I am honoured to address you at this critical session on Health Financing. Health is the cornerstone of Africa’s development—driving productivity, resilience, and inclusive growth. Yet financing for health remains fragile, fragmented, and too often impeded by volatility and out-of-pocket burdens. Today, I present a focused, implementable path for strengthening health financing across our continent, anchored in ATIDI’s instruments and collaborative action with AU member states and our wider alliance.
Excellencies, Honorable Ministers, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honored to speak on behalf of Afreximbank on a challenge that strikes at the core of Africa’s development: bridging our health financing gap. Allow me to commend the AUC for putting health financing at the center of our discussions this week. I would also like to thank the Government of South Africa for their warm hospitality and for the excellent arrangement made for this meeting.
Excellencies,
Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. It is my honour to address this 8th Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration, a key organ of our Union entrusted with advancing the continent’s economic integration, strengthening macroeconomic stability and shaping policies that drive sustainable development across Africa. I would like to thank the AUC for successfully convening this important session.
