Busan keeps promise on Africa’s Development Effectiveness

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Busan, South Korea – 2 December 2011: The curtains are closed on Busan where the 4^th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness was held. The two day Forum provided the opportunity for developed and developing countries to affirm commitment to build a new global partnership in promoting effective development cooperation.

Africa was represented at the highest political level by H.E Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and H.E Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and the Vice President of Burundi. The Continent’s participation was coordinated under the African Union and facilitated by the AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Dr Maxwell Mkwezalamba, representing AU Commission Chairperson, Dr. Jean Ping and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki. The South Korean  President, H.E Lee Myeong Bak declared open the Forum and keynote speakers included Queen of Jordan, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and representatives of the global civil society.

For the first time, Africa presented a Consensus and Position on its Development Effectiveness agenda. In his opening address, President Paul Kagame called for greater ownership based on use of ‘’national systems and shared responsibility built on common values and goals in the partnership with developed countries”. He noted the need to fully “address impediments to aid effectiveness”.

Likewise, the Ethiopian Prime Minister called on developing countries to provide quality aid that catalyzes growth and development instead of managing poverty. He said that “developing countries could overcome the inadequate infrastructure and skills partly through more focused investment in African priority areas”. 

AU-NEPAD underscored the centrality of developing capacity thereby making development effectiveness an African reality and the regional dimension of the aid reform agenda. African Ministers from Rwanda, Togo, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Somalia, and South Soudan Deputy Minister of Finance and the Secretary General of COMESA were special guests at events organized under the auspices of the Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev).

Within the context of the new Global Partnership for effective development cooperation the “accelerating reforms aimed at creating the enabling environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development ‘’ that requires a fine balance between a capable private sector and empowered citizenry and collaborative leadership driven by effective institution.

Ahead of the HLF-4, the African Union and NEPAD briefed African Heads of Delegation and strategized on critical issues on Aid and Development Effectiveness of particular interest to the Continent.

Co-organized by the Government of South Korea and OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development), the Busan Forum delivered its promise by producing a development agenda driven by inclusive partnership. Thus, aid is placed in the broader context of development.

Following the consensual adoption of the declaration – The Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, the Forum was called off by the South Korean Prime Minister, Kim Hwang Sik  who observed the declaration “paved the way for a new type of inclusive partnership and re-affirmed his country’s commitment to ‘’double the aid in supporting developing countries to reach the MDG’’.

The HLF-4 provided African countries and regional institutions on the strategy to exit Aid through ‘’strengthening country systems led by effective institutions for better results. It was affirmed that this would stimulate the systematic improvement of individual and institutional capacity’’. Participants in Busan agreed to put in place by June 2012, selective set of indicators and targets to monitor progress.

Speaking as the representative of the AU Commission Chairperson at the closing event, Dr Maxwell Mkwezalamba pointed out Busan as representing a ‘’major turning point’’.  He further noted that the manifestation of the African voice in Busan was the result of the common African position on Development Effectiveness. According to him” this position re-affirms the principles and shared values of the African Union and its NEPAD Programme’.’ The Commissioner called for prompt implementation of the Busan declaration and strong southern leadership in monitoring post-Busan commitments.

Through the Commissioner, Africa emphasized that the evolving global partnership arrangement should have direct linkages with the regional level, driven and shaped by countries for effective coordination:” He expressed the hope that African was looking forward to establishing formal linkages with the OECD, DAC and UNDP who have been tasked to support the effective functioning of the new global partnership, through the African Union. 

Busan provided the platform for both developed and developing countries including the emerging economies to shift focus on advancing development effectiveness based on results-driven global partnership. The Forum was a defining moment for Africa and a re-affirmation of the partnership principles espoused by NEPAD as the flagship development programme of the African Union.