News

APF calls for real follow-ups on issues of climate change, health, food security…

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25th January 2010 – “This engagement is crucial because of the challenges that are faced by Africa. The five key priority areas that are up for review on issues of climate change, food security, the impact of the financial crisis, its effect on health and the progress of the African Action plan are all very crucial to Africa’s development,” said Dr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, the Director of the Economic Development and NEPAD Division at the UN-Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA) at the opening of the 13th Meeting of the African Partnership Forum (APF).

In his remarks, Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), called upon the participants to continuously use the Forum as a place for the exchange of ideas between the development partners, the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) on issues of African development.

This 13th meeting of the APF, which took place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, which was held under the theme of ‘Monitoring Partnership Commitments’ was aimed at reviewing the progress and commitments that have been made on issues of climate change, food security and the responses to the global financial crisis.

“Following up on the impact of the financial crisis particularly on issues of health is extremely important and this also requires us to come up with innovative actions on how to finance the health sector in Africa,” said Dr. Joao Cravinho, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal.

With regard to the question of food security, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEPAD revealed that although CAADP was clearly a coherent, continental and collective framework with buy-in from partners and the African leadership, its implementation was still faced with some challenges.

“The coordination of partners’ efforts at the national level, the implementation of CAADP at the country-level and African countries attainment of the CAADP targets as per the 2003 Maputo declaration are some of the challenges that we have,” said Mayaki.

Speaking on behalf of the G8 and also as a Co-Chair of the APF, Ambassador David Angel of Canada welcomed the inter-linkages between the issues of discussion before going on to call for the review of the commitments made at L’Aquila on food security and on climate change at COP-15 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“Although Copenhagen was a long and complex process it seems to us that it has yielded beneficial results that lay the foundation for further success,” said Mr. Newai Gebreab the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to NEPAD and also a Co-Chair to the APF.

“On this issue of climate change, Africa’s objective is geared towards the reduction of emissions and this is because Africa suffers most from the adverse effects of climate change,” he added.

Whilst a target of US$100 Billion by 2020 not only for Africa, but for the entire world was put on the table at COP-15, participants argued that this was short of what was required if climate change was to be addressed.

For more information contact:
Dr. Andrew Kanyegirire andrewk@nepad.org +27 83 704 4506 / + 251 911 19 76 96

AU summit to focus on ICTs for development

By Andrew Kanyegirire

Addis Ababa, 18 January 2010 – The 14th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit will start today on the 25th of January, with the meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC). The Summit, which is being held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa under the theme of ‘Information and Communication Technologies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects for Development’, will end on the 2nd of February with meeting of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Discussions and deliberations during the PRC meeting will include administrative and financial matters, the Report of the Commission on implementation of the decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly, economic and social cultural matters and legal, institutional and political matters. The PRC is also set to brainstorm on issues concerning the ‘Education for all’ an item proposed by the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The discussion on economic and social cultural matters will be based on a Report of the Commission on the State of Play of the WTO Doha Round Negotiations.

Later on in the week, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs that constitute the Executive Council of the African Union will also consider the Report of the Commission on the Climate Change Negotiations in the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN-Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Copenhagen, Denmark, 7-17 December 2009. The Ministers will also examine the Report of the Commission on the accession of the AU to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

One of the highlights during the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government which will be held at the UN Conference Centre will include the launch of the New African Union Flag and the Continental Scientific Award Ceremony for two (2) successful African Scientists. There will also be a presentation of the theme of the Summit alongside a 15 minute video documentary to showcase ICT Investments in selected Member States.

The African Heads of State will also consider and adopt several reports including the Report of the Chairperson of NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC).

Journalists are invited to cover the official opening of the 19th Ordinary Session of the PRC on Monday 25 January 2010 at 10h00 am in the plenary hall of the African Union Conference Center.

For more information, consult the Special Summit web page on the African Union website: www.africa-union.org .

Journalists are invited to cover the official opening and closing ceremonies of the 19th Ordinary Session of the PRC on 25 and 26 January 2010, the16th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on 28 and 29 January 2010 and the 14th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly on 1st and 2nd February 2010.

‘Our integration into the AU is on track’, says NEPAD CEO

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 22nd January 2010 – “Our integration into the structures and processes of the African Union (AU) is on track. We have developed with our colleagues from the African Union Commission (AUC) a concrete way of moving forward with regard to this process”, said Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) at the start of the 39th NEPAD Steering Committee session.

“We have worked very closely with the AUC human resources directorate in order for us to adapt to the AUC rules and regulations. This is in line with the transformation of the NEPAD Secretariat into the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Authority as per the integration process,” he added.

In his remarks Dr. Mayaki revealed that the NEPAD had also held joint work programme harmonisaton sessions with the AUC.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Dr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, the Director of the Economic Development and NEPAD Division at the UN-Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA) called upon the participants to use the meeting as an opportunity for reviewing the work of NEPAD.

The 39th session of the NEPAD Steering Committee is taking place between the 22nd and 23rd of January 2010. Participants at the session include members of the Committee which is made up of representatives from African Union Commission, regional economic communities and national representatives.

The committee oversees the broader direction and implementation of the NEPAD agenda. It also works to identify delays and recommendations in achieving the NEPAD priorities and targets. The committee is chaired by Newai Gebreab the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi.

Former President Nelson Mandela meets with NEPAD CEO

18th January 2010, Midrand – On Saturday the 16th of January, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) paid a courtesy visit to Former President Nelson Mandela at his private residence in Johannesburg, South Africa.

During the visit, Dr. Mayaki briefed the former President of South Africa on the status of activities at the NEPAD Secretariat and the support provided by the Government of the Republic of South Africa to the Secretariat.

President Mandela thanked Dr. Mayaki for his visit after which he went on to speak about the continued relevance of NEPAD to the future of Africa.

For more information contact: Mr. Louis Napo Gnagbe on 011 256 3600
Ms. Millicent Seganoe on 011 256 3600

NEPAD staff say farewell to Amb. Willoughby

18th January 2010 - Last week, staff at the NEPAD Secretariat bid a sad, but fond farewell to Ambassador Stephen Olukorede Willoughby, who has been serving as a Deputy CEO of NEPAD, will return to Nigeria to take up the post of Permanent Secretary in the Government of Nigeria.

Speaking at the farewell which was held on Friday the 15th of January, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the CEO of NEPAD thanked Amb. Willoughby for his sense of responsibility, tact and commitment to the NEPAD Agenda.

“Your insights and experiences concerning the broader African agenda are impressive and we have learned a lot from you” said the NEPAD CEO.

Amb. Willougbhy expressed his gratitude to the support of all the staff over the years and he assured them that he had also learned a lot from his experiences at NEPAD.

Agricultural Order of Merit to Dr. Mayaki

18th January 2010 - Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has been granted the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Agricultural Merit, by the Government of France.

Dr. Mayaki, is now a member of the renowned family of ‘Officers of the Order of Agricultural Merit’ of France. The NEPAD CEO was notified of this distinction through a decree issued by the French Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fishing, H.E. Bruno Le Maire, on 30 July 2009.

“This distinction is in recognition of the services rendered by Dr. Mayaki to agriculture”, said Minister Bruno Le Maire in the decree. According to the Minister, the Order of Merit is meant to honour the successful and experienced career as well as the continued contribution of Dr. Mayaki to development.

Not only is it an acknowledgement of Dr. Mayaki’s competencies, but it is also a reward for his professional achievements and his experiences in the field of development. In fact, the award comes as a merit to NEPAD as a whole given that Dr. Mayaki is spearheading the development initiatives of this Pan-African institution.

A Message to the people of Haiti

18 January 2010 – Haiti is going through the after effects of a terrible earthquake that has led to the loss of thousands of lives in the most densely populated area of the country. NEPAD would like to express heartfelt condolences and deep sympathy to the people of Haiti, especially the victims of this tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected who may have lost family members, workmates and friends. The Government of Haiti has asked the UN to mobilize international resources for the emergency response.

Provide funding to the UN Emergency Relief Response Fund for Haiti:
Contact Christelle Loupforest at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs loupforest@un.org to receive banking details.

NEPAD and OECD explore ways to expand cooperation

8th December 2009 - The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NEPAD Secretariat, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Makayi, led a high level delegation to Paris, France, for the OECD Global Forum on International Investment (GFII), 7-8 December 2009.

The OECD Global Forum on International Investment (GFII) is the annual meeting of a global network of policy makers, academics, business leaders, labour representatives, and members of civil society dealing with the policy challenges of international investment.

This edition of the GFII was the second to be held at OECD – conference centre – headquarters in Paris, France. Previous GFIIs took place in Mexico (2001), China (2002), South Africa (2003), India (2004), Brazil (2005), and Turkey (2006).

During his engagements, Dr. Mayaki met with Mr. Angel Gurria the Secretary General of the OECD. They exchanged views on the possibilities for increased partnerships and collaboration between NEPAD and the OECD.

A press conference for Dr. Mayaki was also held with the Pan African Press Association. During this press conference, he spoke about the integration of NEPAD into the African Union and the emerging NEPAD focus on the implementation of programmes and projects at the country-level.

In addition, a briefing for the African Ambassadors and other interested GFII delegates on recent NEPAD initiatives, including the NEPAD-OECD Africa Investment Initiative was also held by the BEPAD CEO. This session was chaired by Ambassador Konji Sebati of South Africa to France.

‘We have to deliver’ on Africa’s development, says NEPAD CEO

New York, 5 January 2010 - In 2001, a summit of African leaders adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as the continent’s overall plan for long-term economic, social and political development. The chief executive officer of the Secretariat of NEPAD is Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, a former prime minister of Niger, who actively took up his post in April. In this exclusive interview with Africa Renewal, Mr. Mayaki discusses NEPAD’s progress so far — and the challenges that lie ahead for the African Union’s development programme.

You attended the September 2009 meeting of the Group of 20 (G-20) in Pittsburg, which was called to further respond to the global economic crisis. Were any of Africa’s specific concerns addressed?

One of Africa’s priorities is agriculture. That priority is widely accepted by the international community, because agriculture is seen as the main entry point for poverty reduction. For quite a long time, that was not the case. But given that the majority of African populations live in rural areas and their main activity is agriculture, most experts and non-experts have come to the conclusion that if we want to boost their revenues, we should go for agricultural development. That was reaffirmed in Pittsburg. One of the conclusions there was to give a mandate to the World Bank to establish a multidonor trust fund specifically dedicated to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which was conceived by NEPAD and adopted by the African Union. Pittsburg also reaffirmed the commitment of the Group of Eight (G-8) meeting at L’Aquila [Italy, in July], establishing a mechanism for financing agriculture. In L’Aquila, the targeted volume of resources was $20 bn. So the commitments are there. Now the challenge is to channel the resources for the implementation of CAADP.

Before the current economic crisis, Africa was hit by a sharp rise in food prices. There were protests, and considerable suffering. Was that a wake-up call for African governments, to put more of their own resources into agriculture and the food sector?

African heads of state had already decided to fix a target of 10 per cent of public resource allocation to the sector. To tell the truth, that target has not been very well attained. Most countries which are close to the target have quite good political stability and have been managed well by democratically elected governments. Generally, a sound agricultural policy is produced by good government systems and politically stable institutions.

When we look at the food riots which took place in the last two years, what do the police reports say? They say that most of the people who participated in these riots were under 20, unemployed, from rural areas and did not belong to any political party or trade union. This youth — and 50 per cent of our population is under 20 — is the key factor which will determine the future of our economies, our political institutions and our government systems. The issue is very simple: Either African governments tackle that youth employment issue through agriculture and rural development, and stabilize their institutions. Or they don’t, and then they will be sitting on a political bomb.

NEPAD argues that good political governance is vital for Africa’s development more generally. And one of the means developed by NEPAD to improve governance is the African Peer Review Mechanism. How is the APRM doing?

The APRM is quite an original approach. It is based on the voluntary participation of governments that decide to open themselves to a review by their peers. Transparency is a key element for the credibility of the exercise. You see more and more countries deciding to volunteer. Institutionally, the APRM has a secretariat that is different from the NEPAD Secretariat, and is constituted by a panel of independent personalities. The challenge is: How do we use the conclusions and recommendations of the review exercises? Normally, the countries are the ones who are supposed to implement the recommendations. But we know that they need support in terms of capacity. It is the main constraint to implementation. I think we could work on capacity development issues, and gather the resources and partners to tackle that dimension.

Would it be correct to say that when you talk about countries’ capacities for implementing the peer review recommendations, it’s not just the capacities of governments, but also of civil society, parliaments, the media and so on?

Absolutely. You can have the best public institutions, but if you don’t have sound citizenship, then your probability of developing in a democratic way is very limited. The roles of civil society organizations and the private sector are key for building the overall institutions.

Building up Africa’s physical infrastructure — roads, power systems, harbours, communications networks — is one of NEPAD’s priorities. But infrastructure is a very expensive undertaking. How has the current world financial crisis affected NEPAD’s plans for attracting more investment for infrastructure?

The financial crisis has transformed itself into an economic crisis. It has had an impact on resource allocation to the African continent. Given that infrastructure projects need quite important amounts of resources, we’ll evidently face challenges in that sector.

But I think it is an opportunity also to better mobilize our domestic resources. Some countries have been good at it, some of us, not really. Africa has domestic resources which are now going to Europe, the US and so on. I’ll just give two figures. The food import bill of Africa is around $40 bn. If we had sound agriculture policies and invested just some of that amount, we could even be exporting food. Capital flight out of Africa is around $30 bn. Out of that $30 bn, almost $20 bn is the consequence of corruption. So we must look more thoroughly at mobilizing the domestic resources that we do have.

We often hear arguments in Africa by civil society groups, academics and others that NEPAD is a fine-sounding plan, but we don’t see much evidence of it on the ground. Why does NEPAD seem to be moving so slowly?

NEPAD, as a programme, is still very relevant to the development challenges that the continent is facing. It is a comprehensive programme, based on two main values. One is the value of ownership, that we have to design by ourselves our own development programmes. The second dimension is to foster economic integration as a way of developing at a faster pace. These two dimensions inspire the sectoral priorities that are being designed. We worked closely with the African Union Commission to create the CAADP. In science and technology, we have created networks of excellence throughout the continent. In our information and technology department, we have launched the e-schools initiative, which is working quite well. We have supported the department of social affairs of the African Union Commission with our advice on health polices. So a lot has been done.

Between the birth of NEPAD in 2001 and now, I would say this has been an experimental process. And like all experimental processes, you have had ups and downs. Certainly, we have not communicated sufficiently on the ups, and we let other people communicate on the downs. But from that good experimental process, let us build a new NEPAD. We are going to be transforming into the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, with the main objective of facilitating implementation of key projects derived from the continental policies designed by the African Union Commission.

The international community has supported NEPAD since its inception. But when the integration decision was taken [to bring NEPAD more closely into the structures of the African Union], there was a certain period of uncertainty on what was exactly going to happen, structurally and functionally. So it was understandable that the international community would wait to see what was going to happen. Now that support has to be reinvigorated. The integration is good for two reasons. The first one is that it will erase the overlaps which were existing before, and the contradictions. And second, it will send a positive signal to the international community on how to deal with each of us, the African Union Commission and the NEPAD agency.

As for the African countries, it is our job to demonstrate to them what we can do. We have to tell them what our role is, what the roadmap on which we want to work is and how we cooperate with the regional economic communities. And then they will see what we are able to deliver. The challenge we face as an institution is a crucial one. Now we have really to deliver very concretely on the ground. It’s on the basis of our delivery that we have to be judged.

Early on, NEPAD was identified with several of its more prominent advocates, who worked closely with the G-8 donor countries. But some of those presidents are no longer in office. With NEPAD now being integrated more closely into the African Union, do you see a new stage of trying to build broader political responsibility for NEPAD within Africa?

The push given by those leaders was absolutely essential. Otherwise NEPAD would not have been seen as important as it is. Now we are in a phase of opening up to broader ownership, so it becomes owned by the 53 countries of the African Union. This means we have to communicate on that, we have to be present more widely and we have to deliver very concretely in all the regions.

There seems to be an interesting parallel process under way with Africa’s international partners. NEPAD initially focused on interacting with the G-8. But now the main international economic forum will be the G-20, a wider group that includes some of the emerging economies, China, India, Brazil and so on. What’s the significance of that for Africa?

We can sense what is going to happen, but we don’t really know what is going to happen. Effectively, the shift from the G-8 to the G-20 is the result of the increasing weight of the emerging economies, which have a direct impact on any global decisions. The existence of the G-20 is a positive structural adaptation to a new reality. In that new reality, Africa clearly has to think in a very wise and intelligent manner. Our role should not be minimized within that new process. And we should try to use the members that we have within the G-20 to really speak in the name of Africa.

NEPAD is present, with the African Union, at the meetings of the G-20. We make sure that the messages which are conveyed are in coherence with NEPAD. What we are seeing on the African side is a more coherent and single African voice. As you know, in Copenhagen [the international climate change conference] Africa will have a single voice, a unique coordinator of the African Group, a unique negotiation strategy. In the times to come, Africa will function more and more with such a single voice.

©United Nations Africa Renewal,
www.un.org/africarenewal

NEPAD CEO speaks to the UNU Click here to view video in French

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki speaks to the UN about NEPAD and the Current state of Africa



10/16/09 Interview (in French) with Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) moderated by Dr. Jean-Marc Coicaud of the United Nations University Office in New York.

NEPAD pushes for the links between bio-sciences and food security

By Louis Gnagbe

Dakar, 18th December – Close to 20 scientists, agricultural researchers, representatives of regional economic communities, civil society organisations and media recently met in Dakar to develop a programme aimed at strengthening research capacity in bio-sciences for the purposes of improving food security in Africa.

Organised by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) West African Biosciences Network (WABNet), this three day workshop which ran from the 14th to the 16th of December 2009 is the latest in a series of NEPAD Science and Technology initiatives that are focused on creating knowledge systems and innovations that are directed towards finding solutions to the post-harvest challenges of African farmers.

It is in this regard that participants at this engagement explored on the ways in which bio-science can contribute to improving food security in Africa and ensuring sustainable economic development.

The NEPAD delegation was led by Prof. Aggrey Ambali, Head of the pan-African development agency’s Science and Technology Unit.

Rwanda calls for genuine action on African agriculture

7 December 2009, Kigali, Rwanda – Africa has identified the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as the avenue for addressing the challenges of food security, but both the donors and African governments are yet to fulfil their commitments to CAADP, said Rwandan President Paul Kagame earlier on today at the start of a two day high-level meeting on CAADP.

In 2003, African leaders signed up to CAADP through which they agreed to allocate ten percent of their national budgets to agriculture and to pursue six percent average annual growth rate at the national level in the agricultural sector.

“Neither Africa nor the development partners have achieved the targets that were set up in 2003,” said Kagame. “There are substantial gaps between pledges and targets. We simply have no option, but to succeed with the CAADP and we all need to re-commit to what is required of us. We need to act on how each country can invest in CAADP and on how partners can support these investments.”

The President was speaking at the start of the Rwanda Post-CAADP Compact High Level Stakeholder Meeting that is focused on reviewing the achievements registered so far by Rwanda in terms of the CAADP agenda and also on how to kick-start investments into the country’s agricultural sector through the Rwanda Agriculture Sector Plan (PSTA 2) and the related Investment Plan.

The meeting brought together various policymakers, African ministers of Agriculture , donors, and representatives from the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and other international organizations.

As a programme of the African Union, NEPAD works closely with African governments to implement CAADP, a framework to accelerate economic growth and boost food security through greater investments in agriculture.

“As you all know the hunger situation in Africa is worrying. The World Hunger Report for 2009 indicates that most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are food stressed,” said Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, at the African Union Commission. “However, excellent outcomes are being witnessed in some countries such as Rwanda, Malawi and recently Sierra Leone which have made significant progress in meeting the CAADP targets”.

According to a review of the Rwanda Investment Plan, Rwanda has increased public spending on agriculture and farmers are also responding positively through increased production and productivity. Still, the country is faced with a close to US $300 million financing gap that needs to be addressed if the country’s is to maintain the current successes.

Gayle Smith, the Special Advisor to President Barack Obama of the United States reiterated the US Government’s commitment to CAADP.

“We will succeed if we match word with deed,” she advised. She went on to highlight that this success will have to go hand-in-hand with the principles of mutual accountability, engagement, transparency and real tangible commitments to African agriculture. Speaking on behalf of the development partners, Nick Dyer the Director of Policy at the UK’s Department for International Development also called upon the donors to step-up to the challenge of taking real action in terms of supporting agriculture in Africa.

Hartwig Schafer, the Director of Strategy and Operations and Sustainable Development at the World Bank, reiterated the Bank’s support to Agriculture in Africa through short term relief and medium term investments all of which fits in well with September Pittsburgh meeting through which the G20 leaders called upon the World Bank to increase agricultural assistance to low-income countries.

The Bank is also supporting CAADP through the recently established US $50 million Multi-Donor Trust Fund which is being used to build the capacity of African institutions to lead and implement the CAADP agenda.

About NEPAD-CAADP

The African Union through its programme of the ‘The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) works to raise the amount and quality of food that Africa produces, in order to make families more food-secure and exports more profitable. To do this, NEPAD brings together all the organisations involved in Africa’s agriculture – and helps them voice their needs and co-ordinate their work. The framework guiding this work is CAADP, developed and led by African nations. Established as part of NEPAD, CAADP was endorsed by the African Union Assembly in July 2003.

NEPAD works closely with the African Union Commission (AUC), regional economic communities, national governments, research institutions, farmers’ associations to make sure that the pivotal role of agriculture in development is prioritised. In addition, many global development partners who were looking for a champion for agricultural development have rallied around CAADP.

For more information go to: www.nepad-caadp.net or email AndrewK@nepad.org

NEPAD calls upon non-state actors to be more proactive on agriculture

By the CAADP Communications Team

Nairobi, 4 Dec 04, 2009 - Traditional rulers such as kings and chiefs have an important role to play in ensuring that agricultural development for the vulnerable is attained. This remark was made by Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Head of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) at the NEPAD Secretariat during his closing remarks at last week’s CAADP Africa Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.

“Non-state leaders such as kings and chiefs have the power to make concrete contributions to the development of agriculture,” he said. “They have the capacity to influence the people they lead and as CAADP, we are keen on broadening their participation.” One such leader, Paramount Chief Dasebrei Osei Bonsui from Ghana attended the five-day forum.

According to Prof. Mkandawire, the CAADP Africa Forum has reaffirmed its value addition to the African leaderships’ commitment to the restoration of agricultural growth and food security on the continent. “This is the only agricultural platform of its kind where the private sector and representatives of farmers’ organizations meet to dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of agricultural development in Africa.”

He added that the forum is a relevant and credible platform in enhancing the visibility of agriculture as a vehicle to poverty and hunger reduction. Prof Mkandawire also urged farmers to take the lead in defining the content of future fora.

The annual Africa Forum was attended by over 150 participants from 16 countries across the continent, Germany and Italy. During the Forum the participants visited farmers from different parts of Kenya where they learned of what the country was doing in the agricultural sector.

The next forum will be hosted by Burkina Faso.

CAADP is an African owned and African led initiative working to boost agricultural productivity on the continent aiming to help African countries reach a higher path of economic growth through agriculture-led development. It brings together diverse key players - at the continental, regional and national levels - to improve co-ordination, to share knowledge, successes and failures, to encourage one another, and to promote joint and separate efforts to achieve the CAADP goals.

For more information contact andrewk@nepad.org / millicents@nepad.org

SA diplomatic police steps-up its engagements with NEPAD

By Robert Muyanga

Midrand, 1st December 2009 – On Monday the 30th of November 2009, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki the CEO of NEPAD, held a meeting with a delegation from the South African Diplomatic Police Unit. The delegation was led by Inspector Molefe Maseola.

Dr. Mayaki welcomed the Diplomatic Police and assured them of his full cooperation.

He said that as an agency and diplomatic mission of the African Union in South Africa, NEPAD is party to the services that are offered by the Diplomatic Police.

He briefed the delegation about the day-to-day operations of AU-NEPAD and also about the integration of NEPAD into the AU.

Inspector Maseola, expressed the gratitude and willingness of the Diplomatic Police to assist NEPAD whenever called upon. The Inspector assured Dr. Mayaki that, the Diplomatic Police always be ready to provide services to NEPAD.

Some of the main services to be provided by Diplomatic Police to NEPAD shall include:

NEPAD transport summit sets out to un-block Africa’s infrastructure potential

By Andrew Kanyegirire

Midrand, 25 November 2009 – “NEPAD believes that the main route to reducing poverty is through good infrastructure. This is why roads, telecommunications, pipelines, logistics and enabling border formalities have always been at the centre of the NEPAD development agenda”, said Ambassador Willoughby Olukorede, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, during his opening remarks at the first ever NEPAD Transport Summit which is being held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, South Africa from the 25th to the 26th of November.

The summit is aimed at finding ways in which to prioritise, develop and fast-track Africa's cross-border networks in all forms of transport - road, rail, air and sea ports - to promote trade, investment and growth through the integration of national action plans and national economies. This summit is the first of what is expected to become an annual event taking place in rotation in Africa's main regional transport hubs.

During the opening session, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu, the Secretary General of the East African Community, briefed the participants about the progress being made on the North-South Corridor.

According to Amb. Mwapachu, the North-South Corridor Programme has enabled the Regional Economic Communities of COMESA, EAC and SADC to implement an economic corridor-based approach to reducing costs of cross-border trade in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The high cost of doing business in Africa is hurting our economic development and this also has implications for our competitiveness and economic development”, he added.

It is in this regard that the corridor seeks to enable producers and traders to be more competitive, thereby creating higher levels of economic growth, employment creation and reduced poverty in the region.

In his remarks, Mr. George Mahlalela the Acting Director General of South Africa’s Department of Transport called upon the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to carry on working towards the reduction of transport costs, the removal of formal and informal barriers to the movement of people, improved regional integration and increased public-private partnerships in transport.

Mr. Mahlalela went on to add that the bulk of the work on the transport services for the 2010 World Cup had been completed.

Drawing on recent studies undertaken by the World Bank, Mr. Juan Gavaria a Lead Transport Economist at the Bank also went on to highlight that Africa’s infrastructure was lagging behind that of other developing regions.

“Africa’s infrastructure services are several times more expensive than elsewhere. There is low transport quality and high transport costs”, said Gavaria.

He called upon policy makers, business and the international community to change this by supporting the actions that are being undertaken by Africans through the AU-NEPAD infrastructure plans.

Such plans include the NEPAD concept of a New East-West transport corridor (NEWCOR).

According to Mr. Adama Deen, the Advisor for Transport and Head of Infrastructure at NEPAD,NEWCOR will run across the centre of the continent – from West to East – as part of an attempt to augment the already established North-South Corridor.

NEWCOR, which has a timeline of 2010-2030, is expected to help develop and regionally integrate Africa’s infrastructure.

The 53-nation AU sees this regional integration, through its NEPAD programme, as the key in its efforts to eradicate the continent's chronic problems of hunger and poverty.

The summit is attracting decision-makers from African governments, the AU and RECs who will be joined by senior executives from major transport and logistic companies, engineering and construction groups, development banks and funding agencies.

African countries that are taking part in the NEPAD Transport Summit 2009 include Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia.

Official observers from the European Investment Bank, the European Union, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the United Sates Agency for International Development and from Canada, France and the Netherlands are also in attendance at the summit.

In addition to discussions and debate - the summit is also showcasing the countries involved in the transport networks and regional transport corridors. They are displaying their products, services and business and trade potential in the African Transport, Trade and Investment Expo.

For more on the summit go to www.nepadtransportsummit.org OR www.nepad.org

Eyes of the world on NEPAD Transport Summit in JHB

The eyes of the world's transport specialists will be on South Africa on 25-26 November when official observers from North and South America, the European Union and Japan join decision-makers from across Africa and senior executives from the private sector at the inaugural NEPAD Transport Summit at the Gallagher convention centre in MIdrand.

The summit will seek ways to prioritise, develop and fast-track Africa's cross-border networks in all forms of transport -- road, rail, air and sea ports -- to promote trade, investment and growth through the integration of national action plans and national economies.

The 53-nation African Union sees this regional integration, through its NEPAD programme, as the key in its efforts to eradicate the continent's chronic problems of hunger and poverty.

The summit will be officially opened by the CEO of the NEPAD Secretariat, Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, a former Prime Minister of Niger, and delegates will be welcomed by the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Dr Jean Ping, a veteran Gabon diplomat and Deputy Prime Minister.

"Africa is on the move and we must now speed up the momentum so that we can stimulate economic growth and interdependence by helping countries open up and share their trade links with their neighbours," Dr Mayaki said this week.

Among the many distinguished speakers who will contribute to the summit debate Dr Juan Gaviria, lead transport economist in the World Bank's sustainable development department, will talk on the current state of Africa's transport networks.

Ambassador Lodewijk Briet, who leads the European Commission delegation in South Africa, will give the EU perspective on regional integration in Africa.

The NEPAD concept of a new East-West transport corridor across the centre of the continent to augment the already established North-South corridor will be outlined by the Gambia's Adama Deen, NEPAD Secretariat head of infrastructure, who will also talk on the role of NEPAD in infrastructure development and integration.

Implementation of the Yamoussoukro "open skies" decision to liberalise intra-Africa scheduled and non-scheduled air services and to regulate air traffic control and safety will be discussed by NEPAD's Dr. John Tambi from Sierra Leone. He is a licensed commercial pilot and a former executive in the management of airports, ports and transportation facilities for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He is also a consultant to the International Civil Aviation Organisation and UN headquarters in New York.

The growth and importance of transport logistics in Africa affecting road, rail and ports will be covered by South African logistics management authority Abrie de Swardt.

The summit is being structured so that each day starts with a plenary session covering the broad situation. The afternoons will be devoted to hammering out the details in sector-specific parallel sessions.

The main focus of the discussions will be on Africa's key cross-border arteries and regional transport corridors and their importance in the integration process. The aim is also to cut red tape and streamline and greatly speed up border formalities.

The summit is the first of what is expected to become an annual event taking place in rotation in Africa's main regional transport hubs.

The African countries that will be taking part in the NEPAD Transport Summit 2009 include Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia.

Official observers will be present from the European Investment Bank, the European Union, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), USAID and from Canada, France and the Netherlands.

In addition to discussions and debate the summit will showcase the countries involved in the transport networks and regional transport corridors. They will display their products, services and business and trade potential in the African Transport, Trade and Investment Expo (ATTIEX).

For more information please contact:
Tanitha Jolly
Summit Director
Tel: +27 (0)21 681 7000
Mobile: +27 (0)72 746 2181
Email: tanitha@capemedia.co.za

Press Conference and Photo Exhibition NEPAD : China : Africa Collaboration

Friday, 13 November 2009


During a Press Conference and Photo Exhibition held at the Chinese Embassy, Commercial Office in Pretoria today, the 13th of November 2009, The Chinese Ambassador to South Africa H.E. Mr. Zhong Jianhua, as part of China’s commitment to fund developmental projects in Africa, announced China’s pledge of U$1.5 million towards the NEPAD Education and Training Project, the training of nurses and midwives in Africa.

This follows the announcement of a pledge of U$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries by the Chinese Premier H.E. Wen Jiabao in Sharm EL Sheikh, Egypt Last week. The announcement was made during the FOCAC - 4th Ministerial conferences, to formalize partnership between China and Africa

So far the Chinese government has funded various NEPAD projects, in particular, Human Resource Development with special reference to Education and Training among others. This project has been established in 5 universities/learning institutions in 5 African countries, namely, Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Mozambique.

This project on collaboration for Higher Education for nurses and midwives in Africa aims to deliver an approved and tested clinical Master’s degree programme in the abovementioned countries.

The aim of this project is to offer clinical coursework Master’s degree in Nursing and Midwifery in each of the learning institutions mentioned. This education intervention is lead by a consortium of universities, both from Africa and the rest of the world. The objectives of the programme are to:

The NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network for Eastern and Southern Africa

A feasibility study of a possible deployment of a commercial optical fibre network in Eastern and Southern Africa was commissioned by the NEPAD e-Africa Commission and has recently been completed by Africa Analysis.

Once finalized, the network will form part of a continent-wide optical-fibre network known as Umojanet, the name given to the NEPAD ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network by Ministers of ICT.

The following 23 countries (of which 12 are signatories to the Kigali Protocol) were covered by the study: Angola, Eritrea, Mauritius, Somalia, Uganda, Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Burundi, Kenya, Mozambique, Sudan, Zimbabwe, DRC, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, Djibouti, Madagascar, Rwanda and Tanzania. A similar study for the rest of Africa is planned for 2010.

The aim of the feasibility study was to ascertain the technical viability and cost of establishing the NEPAD Broadband Network in the region.

The study considered four possible network designs based on a “maximum lease model”, which is aimed at keeping capital costs to a minimum, and an “all build model” that requires an entirely new network to be built.

The study revealed that it would cost approximately US$700m to establish the network if the maximum lease model was adopted, and it would cost about US$1,300m if the all build model is followed.

The study ascertained that much of the optical fibre infrastructure required for the network is already in place. Of the approximately 30,000 kms of connectivity required, 60% already exists and 8% is under construction. Furthermore, planning for 23% of the infrastructure required has been completed and building is to be done, leaving only 9% still to be planned and built.

The study also revealed that optical fibre infrastructure can be acquired from more than one source. Over 50% of the infrastructure required can also be sourced from a second supplier i.e. a second telecom network operator or non-telecom operators such as electricity supply authorities and pipeline operators.

It is proposed that a Special Purpose Vehicle (SVP) be established to develop, own and operate such a network within the framework of the Kigali Protocol. If the SPV were to establish the network on the maximum lease model, it would lease capacity from existing optical fibre infrastructure owners and only build where none exists. Many nontelecom infrastructure owners have indicated their interest in leasing broadband capacity to the SPV.

Umojanet will be developed in countries that have ratified the Kigali Protocol and have licensed the SPV to provide “carrier of carriers” services to their Authorised Service Providers (ASPs). The ASPs would typically be entities such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs), mobile service providers and even incumbent operators who may want to take advantage of the lower prices the SPV will offer. The network could also be extended to countries that are not yet signatory to the Kigali Protocol, if these countries are willing to license the SPV to operate in their territories.

The study was funded by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), and Groupe Agence Française de Development (AFD).

Further information on the study can be found on the NEPAD e-Africa Commission’s
website: www.eafricacommission.org

For more information, please contact:
Gilles Eric FOADEY
Communications Manager,
NEPAD e-Africa Commission
Tel: 073 530 6654 (mobile)
Tel: 012 841 4523 (office)
Email: gfoadey@eafricacommission.org

AGRA and NEPAD Form Historic Partnership To Rapidly Increase Food Production and Achieve Food Security in Africa

Africa's Two Leading Farmer-Focused Initiatives Join Forces to Unlock Potential of African Agriculture As Engine of Economic Growth

ABUJA, NIGERIA (9 November 2009) - The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) today announced a groundbreaking partnership that will link African government commitments to agricultural development with concrete programs in seeds, soil health, policy, and markets.

"This partnership will enable African countries to close the gap between intention and action on behalf of smallholder farmers," said Mr Kofi A Annan, Chairman of AGRA and former Secretary-General of the United Nations. "NEPAD has mobilized public support among African governments to prioritize and invest in agriculture. AGRA develops and disseminates the technologies farmers need; bolsters policy reform; builds markets and involves the private sector. Our combined efforts will be a strong force for change across Africa."

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding, the two organizations will join forces to work directly with national governments and partners across the agricultural value chain in a comprehensive effort to increase the productivity of smallholder farmers growing Africa's staple food crops. They will focus particularly on plans to develop high potential breadbasket areas of African countries.

"An African strategy that increases the productivity of smallholder farmers is crucial to reaching our goal of 6 percent annual agricultural growth" said Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, who signed the Memorandum with AGRA.

NEPAD works closely with African governments to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), a framework to accelerate economic growth and boost food security through greater investments in agriculture. Endorsed by African leaders, CAADP calls on African governments to allocate 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture, in order to achieve 6 percent annual agricultural growth.

AGRA is a partnership-based organization whose integrated programs in seeds, soil health, market access and policy work to increase the productivity of smallholder farmers and transform African agriculture into a highly productive, efficient, and sustainable system.

"African leaders have unified behind the CAADP vision and have taken bold steps to put agriculture at the center of the development agenda," said Dr Namanga Ngongi, President of AGRA. "This vision has galvanized partners around the world to support agriculture. Our partnership will accelerate CAADP's implementation at the country level."

The new partners will work together through CAADP's national Roundtable processes, which will direct investments toward implementing policies and programs that strengthen smallholder farmers' access better soil management techniques and improved seeds and fertilizers, increase their access to markets, and build the capacity of African institutions to advance agricultural research and to develop home-grown, evidence-based agricultural policies.

Building on Progress
"We see CAADP as a historic development in charting new agricultural pathways for Africa", said Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Agriculture Adviser at NEPAD and Head of CAADP. "We are therefore delighted that AGRA is joining forces with NEPAD to work hand-in-hand in enhancing agricultural productivity and food security at the country-level".

Since CAADP's establishment in 2003, some African countries have moved to honor their CAADP commitments by providing at least 10 percent of their budgetary allocations towards agriculture. These countries include Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mali, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria.

"The Nigerian government has allocated more than 10 percent of our national budget to agriculture," said Dr Sayyad Ruma, Nigeria's Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. "We are eager to get to work with AGRA and NEPAD, to develop plans that effectively target these moneys to increase the productivity of smallholder farmers."

"It is no surprise that countries that have met their CAADP commitments are also showing signs of greater food security and stronger economic growth," said Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at AGRA.

For example, government policies, including seed and fertilizer vouchers for poor farmers, have helped transform Malawi from a net importer to a net exporter of maize over the last four years, and fueled a national economic growth rate of seven percent. In Rwanda, food production grew by 15% in 2007 and 16% in 2008, as the country embarked on an ambitious green revolution program that has increased farmers' access to quality seed and fertilizers.

"Africa must lead its own development through home-grown policies that correspond to its priorities. Such policies will help to achieve economic growth needed to lift millions out of poverty," said Adesina. "This new partnership will build on successes and support new efforts in other breadbasket regions of Africa. Now it is time for our words to match up with our deeds."

Since 2006, AGRA's work in 14 African countries has already benefited hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers, who now have better access to improved seeds of staple crops, to fertilizers, to markets, to finance, and to improved soil and water management. In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, for example, 295,000 farmers are being trained in fertilizer micro-dosing, and efficient and sustainable way to improve the soil and the yield of food staples such as sorghum. At the same time, AGRA efforts have led to the release of three high-yielding sorghum varieties in Mali, and networks of village-based agro-dealers are reaching farmers throughout the area.

To evaluate such efforts and scale up an ever-growing number of successes, AGRA and NEPAD announced that they will co-convene a forum in 2010. It will bring together all partners to assess progress and determine the investments needed to strengthen the value chain and support smallholder farmers.

"As a supporter of AGRA and NEPAD, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development wholeheartedly endorses this partnership," said Douglas Alexander of DFID. "This type of collaboration should infuse development efforts. It is destined to greatly accelerate the achievement of Africa's Green Revolution, food security and prosperity for Africa."

AUC, RECs, farmers and development partners call for more country level implementation of CAADP

Abuja, Nigeria, 09 November 2009 -The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Economic Commission for West African States (ECOWAS), kicked off the 5th Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) meeting today, 09 November 2009, at the Transcorp Nicon (Hilton) Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria.

The CAADP PP engagements have grown over the years to become a key forum for collective multi-partner peer review and support of the CAADP implementation process.

The AUC was represented by H.E Mrs. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture. Mr. Salifou Ousseini, Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, represented the ECOWAS Commission whilst Prof. Richard Mkandawire of the NEPAD Agriculture Unit who stood in for the NEPAD CEO Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki represented the NEPAD Secretariat.

During the opening ceremony, Commissioner Tumusiime, stated that the efforts of the AU-NEPAD had made promising developments in articulating broader mechanisms for ensuring effective support to accelerate the CAADP country round table processes.

She also highlighted the significant progress made by the AU-NEPAD in engaging the international community towards the Global Food Security concern as well as supporting Africa’s Agriculture through CAADP.

“We are working faster to address the issue of how to manage the post compact activities as you will listen from the elements of the roadmap to include a much clearer post-compact CAADP process implementation…” Mrs. Tumusiime added. (the complete speech of Commissioner Tumusiime is available on www.Africa-union.org ).

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Mayaki, Prof. Richard Mkandawire of NEPAD revealed that it is the mutual interest and engagement on issues of African agriculture that had brought all the various entities – development partners, RECs, national focal points and civil society together as partners is support of African agriculture.

However, we are aware that the issues we discuss and are concerned about are just more than just being about ‘agriculture’, he added.

“Africa faces critical challenges many of which continue to trap the continent and its people in the poverty spiral”.

He then went on to note that the rising interest of the global community towards African Agriculture and the prioritization of agriculture by the African leadership through the Maputo declaration had paved the way for success in the African story on food security.

In his remarks to the participants Mr. Gregoire Akofodji, Minister of Agriculture from Benin, said that political leadership is a key instrument for the implementation of the CAADP programme.

Speaking on behalf of the development partners Mr. Jeff Hill, the Director for Agriculture at the USAID Bureau for Africa revealed that the United States was working to develop a strategy and related legislation to address and sustain support for global hunger and food security, built on the L’Aquila principles.

“Through these efforts we will continue our support for CAADP”, he added.

The 5th CAADP PP meeting is anticipated to discuss and take important decisions on various components of CAADP implementation including, amongst others: CAADP Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Governance arrangement; CAADP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework; Roadmap for the follow-up and implementation of the July 2009 Heads of State and Government Summit decisions; Framework for Regional CAADP implementation and regional compacts, as well as the issue of food security and climate change, which are affecting agricultural performance.

CAADP is a shared framework for the development of the agriculture sector in Africa. Its main objective is to help African countries achieve higher economic growth through agriculture-led development, thereby eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and food insecurity, enabling the expansion of exports, and supporting environmental resilience.

For more information contact:
Molalet Tsedeke, Media Center Coordinator, AUC
molalett@africa-union.org
Andrew Kanyegirire, CAADP Communications Manager, NEPAD
andrewk@nepad.org

NEPAD highlights the value of the UN’s regional mechanism

Integration into the AU is on track

“Let me state clearly that the integration of NEPAD into the AU is fully on course. Under the leadership of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Jean Ping, the AUC and the NEPAD Secretariat have taken bold steps in implementing the decisions of African leaders on integration”, said Dr. Mayaki.

By Andrew Kanyegirire

Addis Ababa, 5 November 2009 – The United Nations (UN) - Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) is an essential instrument to promote policy dialogue and monitor UN system-wide support to advance the vision of the African Union (AU) and its programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), said Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki the NEPAD Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Mayaki was addressing the opening of the 10th meeting of the RCM, which is designed to ensure that the various UN departments, agencies and other components in the region work more effectively together in terms of their support towards the work of the AU and its NEPAD programme.

The RCM was officially opened by the UN’s Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro. Dr. Migiro underscored the urgency of enhancing the level of coordination among UN bodies in the region, noting that the target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is just a few years away.

“With just over five years left in the MDG period, we must do everything possible to ensure that the Goals are met, across this region, and within each country,” she said.

“As we take stock of the work of the RCM, we must build on our synergies and complementaries. NEPAD is ready to contribute its quota to making this Mechanism work effectively and efficiently”, said Dr. Mayaki.

On the integration of NEPAD into the AU

Speaking on behalf of the AUC Chairperson, Mr. Erastus Mwencha the Deputy Chairperson briefed the participants about the progress being made with regard to the integration of NEPAD into the AU.

He went on to reveal that both institutions had adopted a common budget, roles and procedures and even agreed on core areas of focus. A unit to coordinate the integration process has also been set-up at the AU.

“Let me state clearly that the integration of NEPAD into the AU is fully on course. Under the leadership of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr. Jean Ping, the AUC and the NEPAD Secretariat have taken bold steps in implementing the decisions of African leaders on integration”, said the NEPAD CEO.

It is also in this regard that he went on to add that the senior staff from NEPAD and the AUC had on Tuesday the 3rd of November, held a ‘Work Programme Harmonisation Session’ which had provided more clarity about the core tasks, roles and functions of the two institutions with regard to their joint development agenda.

Commissioner Tumusiime visits NEPAD

Midrand, 1 October 2009 - Last week, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) welcomed H.E. Commissioner Rhoda Peace Tumusiime the African Union Commissioner for the Department Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA).

During the visit, Dr. Mayaki briefed Commissioner Tumusiime about the integration of NEPAD into the structures and processes of the African Union, the status of CAADP implementation, the upcoming African Ministerial Conference on Fisheries and the CAADP Partnership Platform meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, 9 -10 November 2009.

In her remarks, Commissioner Tumusiime noted that although there was good cooperation and collaboration between the AUC-DREA and the NEPAD Secretariat, there was still room for improvement in terms of following through on agreed action points.

She went on to commend Dr. Mayaki for his clear, committed and dynamic leadership particularly in terms of steering NEPAD towards a mandate that is focused on action and implementation.

“NEPAD is a key tool for development in Africa,” says Jean Ping

By Andrew Kanyegirire

Midrand, South Africa, 26th Monday 2009 – “The African Union (AU) and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and it is encouraging to see that we are moving in the right direction in terms of your integration into the African Union”, said H.E. Dr Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) during a visit to the NEPAD Secretariat.

“NEPAD is a key tool for development in Africa and we can all work together to make sure that you can fulfill your mandate of being an implementing agency of the African Union,” he added.

Dr. Ping made these remarks during a visit to the NEPAD Secretariat in Midrand, South Africa on Monday the 26th of October. He was in the country to participate in the First Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), in Johannesburg, South Africa.

During the visit, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEPAD briefed Dr. Ping about the progress being made with regard to the integration of NEPAD into the AU and the processes that had been kick-started by the Secretariat to make sure that NEPAD operated as a technical arm of the AU, focusing mainly on the implementation of development programmes and projects.

Staff at the Secretariat were also briefed by Dr. Ping on a range of issues that were being pushed for by the AU particularly with regard to peace, security, conflict resolution and good governance in Africa.

"Our Focus is on Implementation", says Mayaki

New York, 19 October - The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was designed to address the current challenges facing the continent, including poverty, development and continued marginalization of Africa, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership’s secretariat said at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

Speaking to reporters on the eve of introduction to the General Assembly of several reports on Africa, including on implementation and international support for NEPAD and state of various commitments on Africa’s development, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki said the New Partnership was an African Union vision and was the strategic framework for the continent’s renewal.

Also attending the press conference was Patrick R.D. Hayford, Director of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, who said that every effort was now being made to implement the agenda of bringing about Africa’s economic and social recovery.

With strong support from the international community, the Partnership had been spearheaded by African countries to address the continent’s needs, and it was integrated with the structures and processes of the African Union. Mr. Mayaki said NEPAD was now slated to become a technical arm of that regional organization, focusing mainly on the implementation of its programme.

He went on to describe NEPAD’s close ties with regional economic groups and individual countries in fostering the implementation and integration of identified projects. Among the Partnership’s priorities were agriculture, infrastructure, energy and capacity-building efforts. With over 60 per cent of the continent’s population living in rural areas, the development of the agricultural sector had great significance for poverty reduction and wealth creation. Modern and rehabilitated infrastructure was needed to get produce to markets and meet the continent’s needs, he added.

In the context of the current international economic crisis, NEPAD had an opportunity to support the African Union and regional economic communities in better designing their policies. In the long term, he saw NEPAD developing into “a sound think-tank” in terms of policy design at the continental level. Mr. Mayaki also outlined the Partnership’s voluntary peer-review mechanism allowing countries “to be diagnosed” in terms of political, economic and corporate governance. The NEPAD looked at the implementation of the conclusions and recommendations of those exercises, he added.

Responding to several questions about NEPAD’s specific plans to promote agriculture, Mr. Mayaki described the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), an African-led initiative, which NEPAD and the African Union had established in 2002. That Programme was a continent-wide policy framework, which promoted sound investment in agriculture at the national level and coordinated the provision of donor funds. Its objective of increasing African agricultural production by 6 per cent could be attained through promoting development of small farmers, provision of inputs and fertilizers, and the enhancement of regional cooperation. Among the main challenges related to agriculture in Africa, he also mentioned the issues of property rights and land reform.

On policy design, he said Africa’s food imports amounted to about $40 billion a year. If half of that money could be invested in sound policies, agricultural productivity could be significantly increased. Also of great importance was the implementation issue, which was closely linked to capacity-building.

In response to a question about last week’s session of the Committee on Trade, Regional Cooperation and Integration, a subsidiary body of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Mayaki said that the level of intra-African trade was very low, and boosting integration was a key factor for development. For that reason, the participants of the meeting had focused on building regional markets and achieving free movement of goods, services, capital and people across the regions.

Asked if the plan to have African standby forces in place by 2010 was on track, Mr. Hayford said that those forces were part of the continent’s larger peace and security architecture. There was a strong determination to get such forces established as quickly as possible.

Responding to a question about information technology in Africa, Mr. Mayaki drew attention to a so-called “E-Africa” Commission, which was dedicated to practical issues of information and technology. In many sub-Saharan areas, poor people could now get access to current market prices via SMS (text) messages. In the area of education, he also described an “E-Schools” initiative, which provided basic information technology to primary schools in several African countries.

Asked to comment on the fact that the prize of $5 million for African ex-leaders who had shown good governance had not been awarded this year, Mr. Mayaki said that one of the conclusions that could be drawn from this year’s report from the founders of the so-called “Ibrahim Prize” was that there had been progress in governance. At the same time, however, the prize had not been awarded this year, and that was a reminder of the need to continue promoting quality institutions and good governance in Africa.

Continuing, he said it was also a reminder of the necessity to build sound leadership on the continent which would be fundamentally accepted by the majority of the people. Moreover, the fact that over 50 per cent of the continent’s population was under the age of 18 would have a tremendous impact on future governance.

To a question about the issues that African countries would be raising at the upcoming Copenhagen Conference on climate change later this year, he said Africa would present a unified position at that summit. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia was a coordinator of the continent’s voice, and would stress the issues of great importance to Africa, including technology transfer and financing.

Asked if NEPAD was facing an issue of credibility, Mr. Mayaki said that the life of the Programme could be divided into two parts. The period of 2001 to 2009 could be characterized as an “experimental” phase, during which the secretariat put in place had not had a precise structural mandate. Now, with the integration into the African Union, the Partnership was entering the second phase of its existence. It now had a very specific mandate related to the implementation and fostering of the African Union’s programmes. Renewed credibility would have to be built during that second phase, he stressed.

In connection with the current crisis, he said the economic downturn presented a good opportunity for the continent, because Africa would have to rethink its policies for itself and not be donor-driven on policy design. One NEPAD’s aims was the promotion of African ownership, and, by that, he meant the need to design nationally-, regionally- and continentally-sound policies. It was important to rethink the continent’s development policies, he added

Source: UN/NEPAD

NEPAD’s biosafety receives boost from the Gates Foundation

For more information contact:
Prof. Aggrey Ambali
Phone: +27 12 841 3688
Email: aggrey@nepadst.org and/or info@nepad.org

NEPAD and AGRA join hands to achieve food security

By Dr. Maria Wanzala

Midrand, 5th October 2009 - The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) met on October 5, 2009 to further discussions towards the finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is aimed at enhancing their joint work towards achieving food security in Africa.

In attendance at the meeting were Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEPAD and Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Head of NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP). AGRA was represented by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Vice President for Policy and Partnerships.

The basis of the partnership is the recognition of the similar and complementary interests and capacities of the two institutions vis-à-vis accelerating agricultural development in Africa in order to achieve food security. Therefore, the purpose of the partnership is to establish a platform for cooperation and coordination between the two institutions to achieve this mutual goal through policy- and program-oriented actions to jointly address the underlying constraints in all aspects of the African agricultural value chain.

AGRA () is a partnership-based organization that is working across Africa’s farm value chain to improve agricultural productivity and farm incomes of small-scale farmers. The organization was created in 2006 in response to a call from African governments for an African Green Revolution that benefits small-scale farmers and will transform African agriculture into a highly productive sector that will lift millions out of poverty.

NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) () was endorsed in 2003 by African leaders as the program to accelerate economic growth in Africa through agriculture-led development which would eliminate hunger and poverty through investments in 4 key areas: extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems; increasing market access through improved rural infrastructure and other trade-related interventions; increasing food supply and reducing hunger; and improving agricultural research systems to disseminate appropriate new technologies, and increasing the support given to help farmers adopt them. NEPAD and AGRA have a common agenda and complementary objectives aimed at promoting accelerated agricultural growth in order to achieve food security and alleviate poverty.

The MOU will be finalized in October 2009 and the expectation is that it will be signed at the next meeting of the CAADP Partnership Platform to be held during 9-10 November in Abuja, Nigeria.

For more on CAADP go to www.nepad-caadp.net
For more on AGRA go to www.agra-alliance.org

Niger signs CAADP Compact

For more information contact: OusmaneD@nepad.org or KomlaB@nepad.org
Visit the CAADP Website: http://www.nepad-caadp.net

University of Johannesburg-BMF students visit The NEPAD Secretariat

Le Soleil : Réunion du NEPAD DakarAKAR : Au chevet de la pêche africaine

Global financial institutions must be democratized, South Africa says at UN debate

In an address to the annual General Debate at the 192-member General Assembly, Jacob Zuma said the current global economic crisis spotlights the need to reform the mandate, governance and responsiveness of the so-called Bretton Woods institutions – the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“These institutions have been unrepresentative since their formation half a century ago,” Mr. Zuma said. “The current arrangements are inadequate and unfair. They do not reflect the changes that have taken place in the global economy.

“We should ensure that the election of the heads of all these institutions is more democratic, and opens opportunities to developing countries. The emerging and developing economies, including the poorest, must have a greater voice and greater participation in these institutions.”

Mr. Zuma also stressed the need for an urgent conclusion to the current, long-running Doha round of global trade negotiations, which have stalled, “in a manner that prioritizes development.”

He noted that efforts to eradicate poverty have slowed down as a result of the global recession, and that the world’s poorest countries have been suffering the most, even though they did not cause the crisis.

“The United Nations must play a significant role in finding solutions to the global economic crisis. The crisis should not be an excuse to delay further action on the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” he added, referring to the set of socio-economic targets which world leaders have agreed to try to achieve by 2015.

Turning to his country’s legacy of apartheid, Mr. Zuma observed that it was 20 years ago that the General Assembly adopted a resolution on international solidarity with the liberation struggle in South Africa.

“Within months of the adoption of this important resolution, the South African liberation movements were unbanned. Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were released. The stage was thus set for the negotiations that would eventually lead to the achievement of freedom and democracy in our country.

“The role of the United Nations in the struggle to end apartheid is an exceptional example of the collective political will of the international community. It represented the victory of unity over division, of negotiation over confrontation. It represented a clear commitment to the promotion of basic human rights. As South Africans we will always be grateful for that international solidarity.”

NEPAD out to claim its share of world market

Researchers, AU/NEPAD and partners join hands with Sierra Leone to sign CAADP Compact

Business women receive boost from NEPAD

NEPAD kick-starts project aimed at improving businesses that are run by women

NEPAD CEO meets with FAO delegation to discuss collaboration

Midrand, 10th September 2009 – The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) met last week to review their collaboration and partnership with regard to the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NEPAD, kick-started the meeting by briefing the FAO delegation, led by Ms. Maria Helena Semedo - Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Africa, on the new mandate of NEPAD as the African Union agency for project development and implementation.

In this context, Dr. Mayaki informed the delegation that the integration of NEPAD into the structures and processes of the African Union in accordance with the decisions of the 21st Summit of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC), held in Sirte-Libya, was on track. He noted that the advent of this new mandate provides an opportune time for NEPAD and FAO to review their partnership with a view to strengthening it, particularly in the areas of policy and strategy formulation, evidence-based food security analysis, technical assistance and the broader support towards country-level CAADP implementation.

Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Semedo indicated that all FAO’s work in Africa was being aligned towards the CAADP agenda, and that the FAO’s wide network of national, sub-regional and regional offices would be at hand to provide assistance in the implementation of CAADP.

FAO was instrumental in the original formulation in 2003 of CAADP and its companion documents on fisheries, forestry and livestock. Since then, the Organization has consistently provided technical assistance to the Agriculture Unit at NEPAD, including through the direct provision to the Unit of FAO staff and advisers.

NEPAD’s CAADP is a shared framework for the development of the agriculture sector in Africa. The programme is based on two major principles: the pursuit of a six percent average annual growth rate of the agricultural sector at the national and continental levels, and the allocation of at least ten percent of national budgets to agriculture.

Its main objective is to help African countries achieve higher economic growth through agriculture-led development, thereby eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and food insecurity, enabling the expansion of exports, and supporting environmental resilience. The FAO delegation included Dr. Chimimba David Phiri, Chief of Policy Coordination and Agricultural Policy Support Services; Mr. Ibrahim Bocar Daga, Consultant/Special Adviser, Field Programme Development Service and the FAO Representative in South Africa, Ms Rosebud Kurwijila.

Participants from NEPAD included Prof. Richard Mkandawire, head of the Agriculture Unit/CAADP; Ms. Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong Head of Environment; Dr. Sloans Chimatiro, Senior Adviser (Fisheries); Ms. Bibi Giyose, Senior Adviser (Nutrition); Mr. Bankole Adeoye, Coordinator (Partnerships); Mr. Robert Muyanga, Manager (Public Relations) and Dr. Maria Wanzala, Senior Adviser (Markets Access & Fertilizers).

At the end of last week’s meeting, Mr Mayaki (for NEPAD) and Ms Semedo (for FAO) signed an aide memoire to guide the future partnership of the two institutions.

For more information on CAADP go to: www.nepad-caadp.net
For more information on FAO go to: www.fao.org 

Dr. Mayaki, NEPAD CEO presents his credentials to South Africa

‘Our integration into the AU is on track’, says The NEPAD CEO

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 4th September – “Our integration into the structures and processes of the African Union (AU) is on track and we are committed to fulfilling our development mandate on the ground”, said Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki the Chief Executive Officer of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) at the start of the 38th NEPAD Steering Committee session.

“This is the first meeting of the Steering Committee since the July decision of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) on the integration of the NEPAD into the AU. And it is encouraging to see the progress made in that regard since that decision”, said Ambassador Newai Gebreab the Chair of the Steering Committee.

“We have also made key strides over the past few months in many of our key priority areas. This includes our work on the NEPAD Spanish Fund, capacity building, the Africa Action Plan, the country-level implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) and also in the area of Science and Technology”, said Dr. Mayaki.

In his remarks Dr. Mayaki revealed that the NEPAD Spanish Fund which is dedicated towards the empowerment of women in Africa received 50 Mn Euros for the next 5 years from the Spanish Government.

In addition, further resource mobilization has also led to the signing of a grant agreement for the sum of US$10.4 Mn committed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the NEPAD Science and Technology Sector.

With regard to agriculture, NEPAD has in the past few months witnessed increased support to the CAADP process particularly from the regional economic communities with countries such as Togo, Burundi and Ethiopia signing their CAADP Compacts.

The 38th session of the NEPAD Steering Committee is taking place between the 4th and 5th of September 2009. Participants at the session include members of the Committee which is made up of representatives from African Union Commission, regional economic communities and national representatives.

The committee oversees the broader direction and implementation of the NEPAD agenda. It also works to identify delays and recommendations in achieving the NEPAD sector targets.

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CAADP receives boost from key stakeholders

Addis Ababa, 7 September 2009 – “Calls have been made globally for a coherent, consistent and effective mechanism to respond to issues of malnutrition, food insecurity, hunger and poverty in pursuit of MDGs. For Africa, CAADP provides a strategic approach to this call” said Commissioner Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, the African Union Commissioner (AUC) for Rural Economy and Agriculture.

She was speaking at the start of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Donors and Partners which opened today on Monday the 7th of September 2009, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This engagement aims to deepen awareness on the CAADP principles and process among key government and donor actors, to identify support to strategic investment areas and to increase action on food security and agricultural development.

“The restoration of agriculture growth and food security is our own responsibility as Africans. This is what CAADP is about. Ownership, doing things differently and the collective commitment of African leaders towards a new agriculture development agenda” said Prof. Richard Mkandawire, the Agriculture adviser at the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

Speaking on behalf of the development partners John Barrett of the UK’s Department for International Development advised that this was the time to turn commitment into actions on issues of food security and agriculture.

“Fine words need to turn into action. And, that is what we are here for,” he stressed.

This engagement between AU-NEPAD, agriculture focal points from the regional economic communities, focal points from the national ministries and the development partners comes after many recent global commitments to support food security and agriculture. This includes the commitments made in the L’Aquila Joint Declaration on Global Food Security taken at the G8 in 2009.

At the national and regional levels this engagement comes soon after is the signing of the CAADP Compacts in Togo, Burundi and Ethiopia. Pertinently, it also comes after the AU Heads of State and Government Summit in July 2009 in Sirte, Libya through which African leaders’ renewed their committed themselves to implementing the CAADP agenda.

CAADP is a shared framework for the development of the agriculture sector in Africa. Its main objective is to help African countries achieve higher economic growth through agriculture-led development, thereby eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and food insecurity, enabling the expansion of exports, and supporting environmental resilience.

For more information contact:
Ms. Sihem Kefi, Communications Officer, African Union Commission,
Email: KefiS@africa-union.org / + 251 91 337 7472
Visit the African Union website: http://www.africa-union.org
Dr. Andrew Kanyegirire, CAADP Communications Manager, NEPAD
AndrewK@nepad.org / +27 (0) 83 704 4506
Visit the CAADP website: http://www.nepad-caadp.net

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AU, NEPAD and ECA call for African position on climate change

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 3rd September 2009 – “For the first time in its history, Africa will field a single negotiating team empowered to negotiate on behalf of all the member states of the African Union (AU) at the climate change deliberations in Copenhagen”, said the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi at the opening of today’s special session of the Africa Partnership Forum (APF) on Africa and climate change.

“Africa’s interest and position will not be muffled as has usually been the case when each African country speaks for itself or tries to do so on behalf of Africa without the necessary mandate”, said Zenawi.

The special session of the APF, which took place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, was aimed at building a coalition around Africa’s immediate concerns and expectations on climate change in order to ensure that they are adequately addressed in a new climate change agreement.

The agreement is expected to be reached at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, 7 to 18 December 2009.

In his remarks, Dr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), called upon the developed countries to meet their commitments and targets on issues of financing climate change in Africa, adaptation to minimize climate change, reduced emissions and barriers to technology transfer.

The session was moderated by Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Exceutive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). NEPAD is the agency of the AUC that is responsible for coordinating the APF meetings.

It is in this regard that Dr. Mayaki called upon the African Ministers of environment and the development partners in attendance to work together in making sure that their key messages are given priority in the processes that are leading up to Copenhagen.

“Climate change has devastating effects and impacts and poses considerable constraints to the growth and development prospects in all socio-economic sectors of Africa. The scale of the problem means that Africa needs partners to be able to respond vigorously to this challenge”, advised Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa.

Other high-level participants included Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson, AUC, Dr. Joao Cravinho, Secretrary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal, and Lord Nicholas Stern, Chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

“Africa has a very strong position on the basis of having least responsibility for the problem, for being most affected and for being the poorest”, said Lord Stern in his remarks.

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H.E. Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian Prime Minister to chair the APF Special session

The Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr. Meles Zenawi, will on September 3 chair a high-level session of Africa Partnership Forum (APF) which will discuss the immediate concerns and expectations of Africa on climate change, especially as they relate to mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance.

The session, which will take place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, will be attended by Ministers in charge of the environment from Sierra Leone, DRC, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Cameroon, Sudan, Kenya, Mozambique and Algeria.

Other high level participants include Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of NEPAD Secretariat, Lord Nicholas Stern, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA.

The Africa Partnership Forum (APF) was established in November 2003 to broaden existing high-level G8/NEPAD dialogue to include Africa's major bilateral and multilateral development partners. Its mission is to strengthen partnership efforts for Africa's development.

Members of the media are invited to the opening session beginning from 9:30 am. A press conference will be held on the same day at the venue of the meeting.

Requests for media interviews should be directed to Sophia Denekew at sdenekew@uneca.org
Background documents can be obtained at www.uneca.org/apf

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Ethiopia signs CAADP Compact on 28 August

By Carol Jilombo,

Nazareth, Ethiopia, August 28th 2009 — The Government of Ethiopia has today signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact, during the country’s Roundtable meeting.

The Compact is a mutual commitment between the Government of Ethiopia and the various national, regional and international agencies that are committed to agriculture led development through CAADP.

Ethiopia becomes the third country in the COMESA region to sign the CAADP Compact after Rwanda, which signed in 2007 and Burundi, which signed on August 24 2009. Ethiopia has already exceeded the CAADP budgetary target of 10% to the agricultural sector and agricultural growth target rate of 6% per year.

The CAADP Compact in Ethiopia supports a comprehensive agriculture and rural development strategy consistent with the national Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP). The Compact will assist in the design of future national development planning frameworks and, in particular, inform and influence the preparation of the next phase of the PASDEP.

The Compact targets key sub-sectors like the livestock sub-sector in which Ethiopia leads the region. Within the Pillars of CAADP, the Compact will promote integrated watershed management under Pillar I. Within CAADP Pillar II, the Compact will promote rural–urban linkages, cooperative marketing, agriculture and food policy research, WTO accession and implementation, and the promotion and facilitation of regional and international trade and investment. All existing food security and nutrition programmes will be expanded under Pillar III. Some of the areas of focus of Pillar IV will include dairy and meat research, camel research, and water resources development and research.

The Compact was signed by Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, H.E Ato Tefera Derbew, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development, H.E Ato Ahmed Shide, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Rhodah Tumusiime and COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Stephen Karangizi on behalf of COMESA Secretary General Mr. Sindiso Ngwenya. Other Signatories were Dr. Edmond Wega representing development partners, Mr. Tsegaye Abebe representing the private sector and Dr. Solomon Belete, representing civil society.

The Roundtable meeting attracted agricultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from the Government of Ethiopia, the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the private sector, civil society and development partners.

CAADP is a shared framework for the development of the agriculture sector in Africa. Its main objective is to help African countries achieve higher economic growth through agriculture-led development, thereby eliminating hunger, reducing poverty and food insecurity, enabling the expansion of exports, and supporting environmental resilience.

For further information, please contact:

Carol Jilombo
COMESA CAADP Communications manager
COMESA Secretariat
P.O. Box 30051
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 21 1 229725 Ext 537
Fax: +260 21 1 225107
Email: cjilombo@comesa.int

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Burundi signs CAADP Compact

By Carol Jilombo

Bujumbura, Burundi— The Government of Burundi today (August 24, 2009) signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Compact. The signing was conducted during the Country’s roundtable meeting, which opened today with the President of Burundi, His Excellency, Pierre Nkurunziza as guest of honour.

The roundtable meeting attracted agricultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from the Government of Burundi, the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the private sector, civil society and development partners. The Compact is a mutual commitment between the Government of Burundi and the various national, regional and international agencies that are committed to agricultural-led development through CAADP.

The Compact was signed by Burundi’s Minister of Finance, Hon, Clothilde Niragira, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Ferdinand Nderagakura, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Madame Rhodah Tumusiime, Professor Richard Mkandawire head of CAADP at NEPAD and COMESA Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Stephen Karangizi. Other key signatories included, Mr. Bleoue Ehoue, a representative of the development partners, Mr. Hermenegilde Ndikumasabo representing the private sector and Mr. Pacifique Nininahazwe, representing the civil society.

Burundi becomes the second Country in the COMESA region to sign the CAADP Compact after Rwanda, which signed in 2007. The CAADP Compact in Burundi will target sectors that effectively reduce poverty.

CAADP’s agenda reflects a fundamental shift in the way Africa’s leadership looks at agriculture and its potential contribution to ending poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. It aims to achieve growth and national development in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Carol Jilombo
COMESA CAADP Communications manager
Tel: +260 21 1 229725 Ext 537
Fax: +260 21 1 225107
Email: cjilombo@comesa.int

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Economic troubles roil Africa

By Donna Bryson of the Associated Press

 

JOHANNESBURG, August 18 2009 — Amid signs the rest of the world may be recovering from the global financial crisis, Africa is still being hammered. South Africa’s economy, the continent’s largest, shrunk by another 3 percent in the second quarter, an omen that things may get even worse before they improve.

 

South Africa, among Africa’s most diversified economies, had already seen a plunge in demand for the cars, machinery and other goods it produces.

 

Africa’s larger economies are more directly affected by the crisis, but even smaller economies are feeling pinched, said Richard Mkandawire, an economist at the African Union’s development agency.

 

On a continent where most people live in abject poverty, any downturn is magnified. Some African countries are seeing tourist dollars drop as foreigners cut back on exotic travel. In countries like Ghana, there is evidence expatriates working in the West are sending less money home, Mkandawire said.

 

Africa had at first been seen as isolated from the market and banking turmoil that engulfed Europe and the United States, but a drop in Western consumer demand means Africans are selling fewer of the commodities on which many of their economies depend. In South Africa, manufacturing production dropped by 17 percent in June, and gold output in June was 12 percent lower this year than for the same period the previous year.

 

Former banker Maureen Dlamini, who has experience across Africa, said the global recession will result in lost ground in the fight against poverty on the continent.

 

A recent report on the continent’s economic prospects predicted overall growth for 2009 would be 2.8 percent — less than half the 5.7 percent expected before the global downturn. The report, by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the African Development Bank, said growth in South Africa would be just 1.1 percent, and that Angola’s economy was expected to contract by 7.2 percent.

 

The picture is rosier in much of the rest of the world. In the U.S., the economy is still shaky, but the Federal Reserve has said the downturn may be “leveling out.” Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has seen better than expected investor sentiment and other positive indicators. Japan has reached the end of a yearlong recession.

 

“Just as the impact of the recession on South Africa lagged somewhat behind the rest of the world’s, it seems our recovery will lag too,” South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in a speech Monday, even before the latest GDP figures were released.

 

On a street in Johannesburg on Tuesday, workers at a big box store were on strike for higher wages, demonstrating behind a sign that told management: “Stop complaining about the recession — it is hitting us.”

 

Shop steward Emmanuel Ramara said the store cited the recession when resisting demands for higher wages. He said it takes courage to strike when every week seems to bring news of another company going out of business. At least a quarter of South Africa’s work force is unemployed, and some experts say the figure could be as high as a third if those who have given up looking out of despair are counted.

 

“There’s a need for urgency in South Africa’s response” to the global crisis, the country’s minister of economic development, Ebrahim Patel, told reporters last week. “We need to ensure that our industrial capacity is not destroyed by the recession.”

 

South Africa’s GDP has slid for three consecutive quarters, the first time that has happened in more than a decade. South Africa has long attracted workers from neighboring countries, and now they are sending less money home, Mkandawire said. Any cut is significant on a continent were many live on less than $2 a day.

 

“Enough money to buy a bag of fertilizer could make a huge difference to a family in Zambia or Malawi,” the economist said.

 

The picture isn’t all bleak. Moderate growth is expected in 2009 and 2010 in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda — the fastest growing economies in East Africa in 2008.

 

Patel said South Africa needs to foster a much stronger economy across the continent, echoing a point made by visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton this month. She noted that while she was promoting trade between African producers and her country, Africans should not overlook the market on their own continent, estimated at 800 million.

 

Dlamini, the former banker, concurs. Since February, she has headed the Africa Board, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s effort to position itself as a gateway for foreign investors interested in Africa. Companies from across Africa are listed on the Africa Board.

 

“We have, as Africa, to work together,” Dlamini said.

 

 

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press

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Mayaki visits Togo to endorse CAADP Compact

Lome, 29th July 2009 – The CEO of NEPAD, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, was in Togo from the 28th to the 29th of July to endorse the signing of the country’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Compact.

CAADP is a programme of the African Union’s (AU)-New Partnership For Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and it is based on two major principles: the pursuit of a six percent average annual growth rate at the national level in the agricultural sector, and the allocation of ten percent of national budgets to agriculture as per the 2003 AU Maputo declaration.

The Compact is a mutual commitment between the Government of Togo and the various national, regional and international agencies that are committed to aligning national-level agricultural plans towards the CAADP Agenda.

During his visit to Togo, Dr. Mayaki and his delegation from NEPAD, met with the Head of State of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé. During his discussions with President Gnassingbé, Dr. Mayaki reiterated NEPAD’s full support towards Togo’s development plans.

Dr.Mayaki and his delegation also met with the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mr. Messan Ewovor, the Minister of Cooperation, Development and Spatial Planning, Mr. Gilbert Bawara and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Koffi Esaw.

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Ambassador Shope-Linney visits NEPAD

Midrand, 17th August 2009 – The CEO of NEPAD, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, has called upon African Ambassadors to champion the NEPAD Agenda.

Speaking during a visit by Ambassador Thaninga Shope-Linney who is South Africa’s Ambassador to the Republic of Gabon, Dr. Mayaki said that the role of Ambassadors was extremely important in foregrounding the African development agenda.

“Implementation is very important for us as it cements our visibility on the ground especially at the national level. Therefore, our relationship with Ambassadors is extremely crucial because they are on the ground at the national level”, he said.

In her remarks, Ambassador Shope-Linney called upon NEPAD to support on the ground development in Gabon and Sao-Tome in the areas of agriculture, health, education and fisheries.

Ambassador Shope-Linney who is an ex-official of the NEPAD Secretariat in Midrand also called upon NEPAD to deepen its engagements with Ambassadors on the continent.

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Adopt the AU’s rules, norms and procedures, says Mayaki

By Dr. Andrew Kanyegirire

Midrand, South Africa 13th August 2009 — “This engagement is important because it is part of the process concerning the integration of the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) into the rules, norms and procedures of the African Union (AU)”, said NEPAD’s CEO Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, at the opening of a workshop held today on ‘human resources in the context of AU/NEPAD integration.

The workshop titled: “Managing and developing our most valuable human capital to be the best and to deliver Africa’s prosperity”, was held by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD’s) as part of the process of sensitizing staff at the Secretariat on the AU staff guidelines, rules and regulations.

“As part of the ongoing process of transforming NEPAD into the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Authority (NPCA) as an agency of the AU you will have to explore all the issues that you feel are important to you as part of our transition”, said Dr. Mayaki.

According to Dr. Mayaki, the NPCA will have to work towards creating more visibility on the ground through ‘real’ implementation of development at the country-level.

“We have to analyse our programmes in line with those of the AU and we also have to build a stronger organizational structure”, he advised his staff.

For further information, please contact:
Email:info@nepad.org

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NEPAD delegation in Ghana, capacity development and beyond

Caption: Ghana's Vice-President John Mahama exchanging greetings with Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki (second from the left), CEO, NEPAD Secretariat. With them are other members of the delegation that called on him at his office at the castle

Accra, 27th July 2009 – Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, the CEO of NEPAD last week called for the alignment of the ‘NEPAD Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF)’ towards Ghana’s national development priorities.

Dr. Mayaki and his delegation where in the country for a three-day (25th to 27th) series of engagements and workshops on how to feed the CDSF into key sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure and processes such as the implementation of the programmes of action from the country’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

In his discussions with John Mahama, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, at Castle-Osu, Dr. Mayaki stressed that part from simply reviewing the capacity development related work in Ghana NEPAD was keen on partnering with with stakeholders such as government representatives, external partners and Universities on how the CDSF could be applied in the agricultural sector.

In his remarks, he also commended Ghana for making strides in the implementation of the APRM,

Food security

Vice President Mahama said that since the majority of African countries are engaged in agriculture, there is the need to increase investments in that sector to help reduce poverty and to enable the continent to contain the world food crisis.

He went on to reveal that Ghana is to increase the budgetary allocation for agriculture from the current six per cent to 10 percent to help alleviate poverty and enable the country to be a net exporter of food in the near future.

As part of this allocation, the Ghanaian government is also looking to assist peasant farmers to go into medium and large scale farming, especially in areas with large tracts of land to improve their incomes.

The NEPAD delegation held meetings and engagements with Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Nii Amasah Namoale, and the Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, Dr Monty Jones.

Discussions were focused on the African Union’s NEPAD programme of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), its implementation and the need for more CAADP investment support in Ghana in order to attain MDG1 on food security.

Universities dialogue

During their visit to Ghana, the NEPAD delegation led by Dr. Mayaki’s participated in a Universities Dialogue which centred on how African higher educational institutions can help contribute to the meaningful development of the continent.

With a youthful population of 50% of Africa’s population being under 18 years, Africa also has the unenviable position of being the only continent with unequal wealth and the highest unemployment rate among the youth in the world.

Dr. Mayaki reiterated the support of NEPAD towards tertiary institutions and civil society in order to empower the youth.

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Allocution d’ouverture du Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki

TABLE RONDE DU PROGRAMME DETAILLE DE DEVELOPPEMENT DE L’AGRICULTURE AFRICAINE (PDDAA) DU TOGO, LOME 29-30 JUILLET 2009

Excellence monsieur le Président de la République,
Madame la Commissaire en charge de l’Economie Rurale et de l’Agriculture de l’Union africaine
Monsieur le Commissaire en charge de l’Agriculture de la Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest
Mesdames et Messieurs Les Ministres,
Mesdames et Messieurs Les Représentants des Corps Diplomatiques et des Organisations Internationales,
Honorables Invités,
Mesdames et Messieurs,

Laissez-moi vous dire tout l’honneur du NEPAD de participer à cette table ronde du Programme Détaillée de Développement de l’Agriculture Africaine, la première du genre dans la région ouest africaine.
Je remercie sincèrement le peuple togolais et particulièrement son Excellence le Président Faure Gnassingbé pour la fraternité et la cordialité de l'hospitalité qui nous a été réservée.

Excellence monsieur Le Président, Honorables invités, mesdames, messieurs

Pourquoi le PDDAA a-t-il été conçu ? Afin de créer un cadre politique de développement de l’Agriculture au niveau continental. Ce que nous visons avec la Commissaire Tumusiime de la Commission de l’Union Africaine, c’est l’utilisation de ce cadre politique afin de définir des stratégies régionales et nationales.

Cette table ronde se tient dans un contexte particulier marqué par une crise économique mondiale sans précédent qui marque la fin d’un ordre du monde et annonce le début d’un monde incertain.

L’affaissement de l'activité économique mondiale aura, a déjà, des répercussions sur notre continent.

L'Afrique, après avoir enregistré des taux de croissance soutenus et prometteurs ces cinq dernières années voit une baisse de croissance s'amorcer cette année avec notamment des pressions supplémentaires sur des budgets nationaux déjà mis à mal lors des crises énergétiques et alimentaires, une paupérisation se traduisant par l'incapacité à satisfaire les besoins les plus élémentaires comme l'alimentation qui demeure un droit humain fondamental, avec ce que cela peut entrainer comme agitations et tensions sociales.

Excellence monsieur Le Président, Honorables invités, mesdames, messieurs

Pour nous, cette crise peut constituer une opportunité car elle marque la fin des donneurs de leçons, qui n’ont pas marché et elle va permettre à l’Afrique de réfléchir pour elle-même.

Des reformes sont en cours dans nombres de pays et de nouveaux espaces politiques et économiques s’ouvrent pour les acteurs non étatiques (organisations de la société civile, le secteur privé agro-alimentaire, les organisations de producteurs, etc.) afin de leur permettre de participer activement au processus national de développement de l’agriculture en particulier. Désormais les organisations de la société civile ne sont plus vues comme des acteurs anti-développement mais plutôt comme des acteurs actifs du processus de développement. Au niveau du PDDAA, nous avons pris connaissance du rôle critique que les acteurs non étatiques peuvent jouer comme instrument de changement.

Excellence monsieur Le Président, Honorables invités, mesdames, messieurs

Permettez-moi de féliciter notre hôte de ce jour à savoir la République du Togo, pour les efforts qui ont permis l’instauration d’un climat de paix, propice au développement socio-économique, malgré la crise qu’a traversé le pays, il y a quelques années.

Cette table ronde est le résultat d’un processus national, cohérent et soutenu. C’est ce processus qui a permis d’aboutir à des documents de travail sérieux et de qualité. C’est ce processus, qui vaut aujourd’hui, l’honneur au Togo d’être le premier de la Communauté des Pays des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest à organiser la table ronde du PDDAA. Et peut être le second pays du continent à signer un compact après la République du Rwanda.

Excellence monsieur Le Président, Honorables invités, mesdames, messieurs

Il ressort de l’analyse des perspectives de croissance de l’économie du pays que « Si les tendances actuelles de croissance se poursuivent, c’est-a-dire une croissance de 3,8% pour l’ensemble de l’économie et 4,4% pour le secteur agricole comme ce fut le cas entre 2002 et 2005, cette croissance reste cependant insuffisante pour permettre au Togo d’atteindre les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement à l’horizon 2015, à savoir réduire de moitié la proportion de la population considérée comme pauvre».
De même, « Les résultats escomptés de la mise en œuvre de la SDR, la Stratégie de Développement Rural, bien que meilleurs, ne permettraient pas non plus d’atteindre l’objectif de 6% de croissance tel que recommandé par le PDDAA ».
Le pays devrait pour réaliser les objectifs du millénaire pour le Développement atteindre un taux de croissance du secteur agricole de:

9,6% à l’horizon 2015

Soit 6,9% à l’horizon 2020

Cette analyse nous interpelle tous, secteur public, secteur privé, organisation de la société civile, organisation des producteurs, partenaires technique et financier pour une plus forte mobilisation et plus de cohérence dans nos interventions, qui dorénavant doivent se resserrer autour du Programme National d’Investissement de l’Agriculture du Togo. Car ce programme est la volonté exprimée du Togo. Il est en cohérence avec l’ECOWAP, le Programme Agriculture de la CEDEAO. Et il embrasse les principes et les valeurs du PDDAA, qui sont :

La constitution de partenariats et d’alliances, c’est- à -dire (1)l’alignement et l’harmonisation dans les efforts de développement entre les gouvernements nationaux et les partenaires au développement, (2) la participation effective dans le processus de prise de décisions politiques des organisations de producteurs et autres acteurs y compris le secteur privé, et (3) l’accès à une expertise technique adaptée.

Le deuxième principe : Le dialogue, la revue (par les pairs) et la responsabilité mutuelle – au niveau national ceci ouvre le processus à une responsabilité collective et une participation inclusive jusqu’au niveau des structures à la base. Ces principes sont supposés stimuler et répandre les pratiques de normalisation, d’apprentissage mutuel et d’harmonisation des efforts de développement nationaux, en encourageant un niveau plus élevé de coopération transfrontières et d’intégration régionale.

L’exploitation des complémentarités, de la coopération et de l’intégration  régionale  ainsi que les besoins communs et mutuels et les avantages comparatifs régionaux.

Ceci devrait induire une transformation fondamentale au niveau de la façon dont les affaires sont gérées avec un impact réel sur :

la qualité des programmes de développement/d’investissement ;

la qualité dans la mise en œuvre et les mécanismes de diffusion et autres arrangements politiques et institutionnels

des liens sous-sectoriels mieux organisés (filières: élevage, pèche, production végétale) y compris plus de partenariats de bonne qualité;

Des interactions régionales de qualité y compris une meilleure collaboration régionale sur le front économique.

Quand un gouvernement africain choisit l’Agriculture comme priorité, il est sur la bonne voie.

Le simple fait de donner la priorité à l’Agriculture, est un signe manifeste de démocratie car cela est l’illustration de la prise en compte des intérêts de la majorité.

Le rôle des partenaires au développement, s’ils sont sincères, est de participer à l’accompagnement de ce processus.

Quand on demande à nos leaders d’avoir la volonté politique des choix de priorité, il faut de l’autre côté avoir la volonté pratique d’appuyer ces choix.

Nous ne devons pas répéter l’exemple du Rwanda où après ce même type de table ronde, les partenaires n’ont pas été à la hauteur de ce qui était attendu d’eux.

Les efforts de conception ont été réalisés, l’appropriation a été circonscrite, l’adhésion a été recherchée, les documents de qualité ont été élaborés, sérieusement élaborés.

Qu’attendons-nous des partenaires au développement ? L’application des mêmes valeurs qu’ils prônent : volonté politique, transparence et cohérence dans les engagements.

 

Je vous remercie.

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CEO’s Welcome statement on new website

I have the pleasure to welcome visitors to the new website of the NEPAD Secretariat. In the quest to keep all stakeholders adequately informed, we have launched this new and more user-friendly website to disseminate updates on the programmatic activities of the Secretariat and progress on NEPAD implementation in general.

I hope that the information presented here will be of great use to you all. The Secretariat will be happy to receive your valuable comments and suggestions on the new site: those comments and suggestions will be key factors of improvement.

My best wishes.

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki
CEO< NEPAD Secretariat

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NEPAD Declares May Africa Month

22 May 2009

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), has declared the month of May Africa Month, and is planning a Symposium and Cultural event, which will take place at the National Cultural Museum in Pretoria, South Africa on Africa Day, 25 May 2009.  300 guest will participate in the event, which will receive wide media coverage, with a live coverage from SABC News.

Africa Day is the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was succeeded in July 2002 by the present African Union (AU), while amalgamating with the African Economic Community (AEC), but kept the date and name of Africa Day.   Africa Day is a call to African countries to recommit themselves to the goals of inter-alia, democracy, good governance and accountability as espoused by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).  It is a day by which Africa needs to pause, take stock of its achievements and celebrate its efforts towards development and unity in diversity.

The theme of the Africa Day event is “Unifying Africa Through Education and Culture”, under which deliberations will focus on the important role of Culture Education in promoting Africa’s sustainable socio-economic development and unity in diversity.  The programme kicks off at 6:00, with a live broadcast featuring African music and dance and interviews with senior representatives of NEPAD and its partners, including the Department of Education and the Department of Arts and Culture.

After the multi-faith devotions, Dr I A Mayaki, CEO of the NEPAD Secretariat, Dr Mayaki, CEO of the NEPAD Secretariat, will formally open the day’s proceedings.  The Mayor of Tshwane, Ms Gwen Ramokgopa, will welcome participants to the City.  After a message of goodwill delivered by the Minister of Arts & Culture, Ms Lulu Xingwana, Dr SB Mboup from the Centre for African Renaissance Studies, UNISA, and former Ambassador for Senegal, will give a background on the origin and significance of Africa Day. 
Dr Edem Adubra: Acting Director: UNESCO Windhoek Cluster Office, will deliver the keynote address, which will be followed by a panel discussion. The panelists include Mr Enver Surty, Deputy Minister of Education and Chair of the Conference of Ministers of Education for Africa (COMEDAF), Ms Sisonke Msimang, CEO of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), Advocate Brenda Madumise, Convenor of the Africa Dialogue of African National Arts Councils and Entities, Dr Matlotleng Matlou, CEO of the Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA), Ms Makini Tchameni, CEO of the African Centered Educational (ACE) Foundation, Prof Shadrack Gutto: Director: Centre for African Renaissance Studies at UNISA and Prof Neville Alexander, Director of the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA), University of Cape Town.  A group of African students from the NEPAD Leadership Programme at Wits University will take part in the panel discussions.

Father Simangaliso Mkhatshwa, the President of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) will close the Symposium part of the proceedings.  The cultural part of the day, with African music and dance, will kick off after lunch, and continue until the end of the function at 17h00.

Ends.

Click here to download the pdf version of this press release

For more information contact:
Prof. Mzobz Mboya
Adviser: Education and Training
NEPAD
Tel: +27 (0)11 256 3624
Fax: +27 (0)11 206 3695
Email: mzobanzim@nepad.org
OR
Zodwa Tsajwa
Project Manager: NEPAD Education and Culture Conference, 2009
Tel: +27 (0)11 256 3647
Fax: +27 (0)11 206 3695
Cell: 084 502 4940
Email: zodwat@nepad.org

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CAADP

NEPAD's CAADP is key in Africa's response

G8 Summit

On the second day of the summit, the G8 leaders agreed to continue delivery of a range of initiatives aimed at boosting food security.

NEPAD CEO welcomes Gaddafi to the 37th NEPAD Steering Committee Meeting

Midrand, Monday, May 11, 2009: NEPAD was honoured with the historic visit of the Libyan Leader/Guide and current Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, graced the occasion of the official opening of the 37th NEPAD Steering Committee meeting held in Midrand, South Africa on Monday, 11 May 2009. Brother Gaddafi was received by Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO NEPAD Secretariat, on behalf of the Steering Committee, who expressed the honour and privilege accorded to Participants by the visit of the AU Chairperson.

In his brief address to the Steering Committee meeting, the AU Chair enunciated his vision of a strengthened and effective AU through the proposed new AU Authority to replace the AU Commission. Brother Leader Gaddafi declared that NEPAD should serve as one of the pillars of the new AU system being re-configured with the establishment of the AU Authority and the Defence Council. He welcomed the efforts to finalize the AU/NEPAD Integration process, which he stated would firmly place NEPAD within the AU systems and processes and contribute to realizing the wishes of Africans to promote a united and prosperous Africa through an African Union Government. The Libyan Leader alluded to the possibility of NEPAD serving as the AU platform to advance international cooperation and Africa’s foreign trade. He pledged to convey these views on NEPAD to the 13th AU Assembly scheduled for July 2009, which will decide on the profile and structure of the new NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Authority.

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The annual Ministerial meeting 6th & 7th November - and the Executive Committee Meeting 3rd & 4th November

The annual Ministerial meeting 6th & 7th November - and the Executive Committee Meeting 3rd & 4th November

Second Decade of Education for Africa

Experts map way forward for Second Decade of Education for Africa

The NEPAD Office of Education and Training hosted an AU workshop of experts and partners in Pretoria, South Africa, from 17–19 June 2008 to finalise an implementation strategy for teacher development in the Second Decade of Education for Africa. The meeting focused on two areas – the teaching of science, mathematics and technology, and the use of open and distance learning (ODL) for teacher development.

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31 October 2008

NEPAD Education and Culture Indaba is important for Africa

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Africa's health workforce crisis

NEPAD expert looks at Africa's health workforce crisis – and what is being done to meet the challenges

This interview was first published in NEPAD’s weekly magazine Dialogue on 3 March 2008 (Issue 214)

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Strengthening health research capacity

Strengthening health research capacity for an African evidence base
An interview with Eric Buch, Health Adviser, NEPAD - the New Partnership for Africa's Development

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SADC Marine Fisheries Ministers

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global issue with many harmful environmental, economic and social impacts.

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NEPAD new CEO, Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is the new chief executive officer of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Mayaki, who served as his country's Prime Minister between 1997 and 1999 after a stint as foreign Minister in 1996-1997, was chosen after a selection process that took several months to complete.

Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is an Economist born in 1951.

Ibrahim Assane Mayaki holds a Masters from the National Administration Public School (Enap), Québec, Canada and a PH.D. in administrative sciences from the University of Paris I, France.

In January 1996, he became a Ministerial Delegate in charge of the African Integration and Cooperation, and later served as Foreign Minister.

In November1997, he became Prime Minister, a function he held until January 2000. In August 2000, he set up the Analyses Society for Public Policy, a task group also aimed at making proposals in education and health policies. In 2004, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the Platform supporting rural development in West Africa
, the Rural Hub, based in Dakar, Senegal.

New NEPAD CEO, Ibrahim Assane Mayaki

Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is the new chief executive officer of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Mayaki, who served as his country's Prime Minister between 1997 and 1999 after a stint as foreign Minister in 1996-1997, was chosen after a selection process that took several months to complete.

Ibrahim Assane Mayaki is an Economist born in 1951.

Ibrahim Assane Mayaki holds a Masters from the National Administration Public School (Enap), Québec, Canada and a PH.D. in administrative sciences from the University of Paris I, France.

In January 1996, he became a Ministerial Delegate in charge of the African Integration and Cooperation, and later served as Foreign Minister.

In November1997, he became Prime Minister, a function he held until January 2000. In August 2000, he set up the Analyses Society for Public Policy, a task group also aimed at making proposals in education and health policies. In 2004, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the Platform supporting rural development in West Africa
, the Rural Hub, based in Dakar, Senegal.

Wade denounces measures that promote widespread poverty.
Afrique en ligne

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade on Wednesday denounced measures at the global level which contribute to make poverty more widespread.

He spoke against the decision of the "oil oligopoly" to let the prices of oil in crease, against all economic rationale, with the result of making African economies precarious.

President Wade, speaking in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, at the opening of the 44th assembly of the African Development Bank (AfDB), said this situation had led to an increase in the prices of agricultural products.

He described the action of oil producers as "a disastrous decision for developing countries, which in turn brought about increased poverty".

Another measure decried by the Senegalese president is subsidies on agricultural products by rich countries, asking: "How can you compete with subsidized products?"

President Wade denounced the “double standards” applied by the Bretton Woods institutions saying: "We are not free to protect ourselves, for the World Bank and the IMF forbid us to do so. Developed countries are left to do as they please, but at least we should be given a chance to protect our agricultural products.”

The Senegalese president also criticised the quota system within the multilateral financing institutions based on the financial capacities of states and proposed that poor countries benefit from measures such as compensation for their low capacities.

President Wade did not miss out on African leaders with the target being the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). A lot of money has been spent for nothing, he said, adding that the problem of NEPAD can be compared to “a Mercedes without a good driver".

The Senegalese president said the fundamentals were well in place and what was needed was a good pilot for the situation to evolve positively.

He expressed the hope that the new Executive Secretary of NEPAD, Ibrahim Mayaki, is going to apply the NEPAD programme which has been was transferred to the African Union Commission.

President Wade said the continent would only improve by bringing African countries into a single country.

"As long as we work separately, we will achieve nothing," he declared, saying the solution lies in the establishment of a United States of Africa.

Dakar - 13/05/2009

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