A high level meeting of Africa leaders who oversee the work and impact of the NEPAD Agency Programme, has acknowledged the important role that the Agency plays in the continent’s transformation Agenda. The Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) is a grouping of 20 African leaders who meet twice a year on the margins of the AU Summit to take stock of the implementation of the Agency.

The HSGOC meeting in Malabo yesterday made important decisions. They endorsed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development (CAADP) Results Framework and the new Programme on Agriculture Climate Change, as well as a new partnership mechanism called Africa Global Partnership Platform. NEPAD and the Food and Agriculture Organisation have also been tasked to develop guidelines that will help Member States improve the quality of resource allocation to agriculture.

The meeting centred around three main themes: 2014 the Year of Agriculture; Financing for Africa’s Infrastructure and strengthening Africa’s Global Partnerships. 

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma re-affirmed NEPAD’s position as the technical agency of the African Union and its expertise in resource mobilisation.

“We are committed to the implementation of NEPAD based on its work in agriculture, science and technology, economic transformation and regional integration and infrastructure. This is in alignment with the work that NEPAD has done since 2001” said Dr Dlamini Zuma.

The AUC Chairperson outlined a number of challenges that Africa is faced with, citing the lack of human resource skills as among the main aspects that hinder economic growth.

“Africa is presenting itself as a continent of opportunity. We need to be innovative, we should encourage resource mobilisation at national and regional level and encourage private-public partnerships. The decade that is starting should bring about change through the NEPAD vision that will change lives of our people,” said President Macky Sall of Senegal. He is also the Chairperson of the Orientation Committee.

The Senegalese President spoke on the outcomes of the Dakar Financing Summit (DFS) and the sincere commitment by all involved in seeing the Dakar Agenda for Action becoming a success. He said that the Summit, which his Government hosted on June 14 and 15 was a major moment for the mobilisation of leaders, the private and public sector.

The former President of Ghana and United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, Mr John Kufour who was the special guest at this year’s HSGOC cautioned that the climate change issue required concrete actions now. He said that the UN Secretary-General’s 2014 Climate Summit on 23^rd September this year will be an opportunity for leaders to share information on initiatives that they are undertaking.

Representatives of members states, RECs and partner institutions, to the HSGOC meeting

The HSGOC is also an important platform to asses NEPAD’s coordination of programmes with partners.  Dr Carlos Lopez, Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) tabled a report by on the outcomes of the Dakar Financing Summit for Africa’s Infrastructure. It included support of Africa50 Fund launched by Africa Development Bank and an invitation to the Private Sector to actually fund the selected 16 Regional projects.

Agriculture occupies a priority position in African economies and it is important that small- scale farmers are included in the process, one of the main aspects the NEPAD Agency has been ensuring. CEO Dr Ibrahim Mayaki gave an outline of the Agency’s support to Africa achieving full food sovereignty by 2035.

President Macky Sall sharing a light moment with UNSG Special Envoy on Climate Change and former President of Ghana John Kufour