Dakar, Senegal (June 21, 2010) – “We stand ready to work with you in our collective efforts towards the communication and realisation of the African Union’s (AU) programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)”, said Prof. Richard Mkandawire of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) at the first brainstorm of the Communications focal points of the Regional Consultation Mechanism (RCM) of the United Nations Agencies.

The RCM is mandated to improve collaboration, coherence and cooperation between the UN agencies and African continental organisations in supporting the NEPAD agenda. 

The three-day brainstorm is being held between the 21st and 23rd of June 2010 in Dakar, Senegal. “The UN has been instrumental in the work of NEPAD particularly in certain areas such as agriculture where we have worked closely with agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). We need to transfer this to all the NEPAD priority areas of intervention”, said Prof. Mkandawire.

“However, for us to encourage broader buy-in into our joint work we need to show concrete and real on-the-ground stories that highlight how our work is making a difference in the lives of the African people”, he added. In line with these remarks, Ms. Mieko Ikegame, Officer in Charge - Coordination, Advocacy and Programme Development Unit of the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA) said that NEPAD as a brand name could not be sold without concrete stories on the ground.

“This is why we all have to establish clear strategies for information and communication sharing between the UN, the AU Commission and the NEPAD Agency. Indeed, this is one of the key things that needs to be done soon in order to realise the mandate of the NEPAD Agency”, advised Ikegame.

At the brainstorm, participants are looking to identify real action points and deliverables that can be used to push for joint communications with regard to the implementation of the NEPAD agenda.

Participants at the RCM include representatives from the NEPAD Agency, ECA, FAO, UNDP, UNESCO and related agencies. On day 3 of the brainstorm participants are planning to conduct field visits of the some of the pioneering NEPAD projects in Senegal on issues such the e-schools initiative and the environment.

NEPAD delegation pays courtesy call onto the Minister for NEPAD
Later in the day, a NEPAD delegation that was led Prof. Mkandawire paid a courtesy call on Mr. Ibrahima Mbaye, the Minister in Charge of NEPAD in Senegal. During the visit Prof Mkandawire briefed the Minister on some of the most recent achievements in the work of the NEPAD Agency and the preparations of the Agency towards the upcoming AU Summit in Kampala, Uganda.