Decision on the Report of Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development - Doc. Assembly/Au/7(XVIII)

DECISION ON THE REPORT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
ORIENTATION COMMITTEE ON THE NEW PARTNERSHIP

FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT

Doc. Assembly/AU/7(XVIII)

The Assembly,

1. TAKES NOTE WITH APPRECIATION of the Report by the Chairperson of the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) , H.E. Meles Zenawi Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;

2. ENDORSES the conclusions of the Twenty-Sixth NEPAD HSGOC Meeting;

3. NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the steady progress towards results-based

performance by the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) in delivering its mandate based on Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.282(XIV) of the Fourteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly and COMMENDS the improved working relations with the African Union (AU) Commission and increasing linkages between NPCA, Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs);

4. EXPRESSES deep concern that NPCA organizational structure is yet to be finalized two (2) years after the integration of NEPAD into the structures and processes of the AU, and THEREFORE REQUESTS the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC) through its Sub-Committee on Structural Reforms to consider as a matter of urgency the finalization of the NPCA structure by March 2012 for subsequent approval by the Nineteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly;

5. EMPHASIZES the vital importance of recommending a practical and efficient structure for NPCA that adequately reflects and is consistent with its mandate to enable it effectively implement the core objectives of NEPAD as the programme of the AU , and REQUESTS that the process of finalizing NPCA structure should include appropriate consultations with the Commission, the NEPAD Steering Committee and NPCA;

6. ENDORSES the implementation of key NEPAD regional and continental programmes and projects as reflected in the NPCA Activity Report for the period July to December 2011 PARTICULARLY NOTING the progress regarding the technical support to Member States on Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) investment plans; Rural Futures Programme; Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF); the signed TerrAfrica Leverage Fund to enhance Sustainable Land and Water (SLW) management; African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) with current focus on the East African Community (EAC); Set-up of Capacity Development Expert Pool with UNDP support under the Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev); South

7. Sudan Development Initiative (SSDI) in conjunction with UNECA and UNDP; and Natural Resources Governance to advance the African Mining Vision;

8. NOTES the increasing efforts of African Governments to mobilize domestic resources in the face of the current impact of global financial crisis and REITERATES the critical need to creatively re-assess predictable and sustainable funding options in support of implementing prioritized national and NEPAD programmes and projects;

9. ACCORDINGLY REQUESTS NPCA and United Nations Economic Commission (UNECA), in partnership with relevant institutionsjbnjndertake an in-depth study to explpt^strategiesand viable modalities to improver the mobiliagjion of domestic resop^Bfis as development finance which will be submitted to the nMPAD HSGOC forc^nsideration; \

10. 
    

    infrastructure is a major cornerstone;

    igr_ APPROVES the Programme, for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PID/^jj^d

    ^£CALLS Declaration Assembly/AU/Decl. 1 ^li (XII) of the twelfth JOrdinary ‘^^ession ^jof the Assembly of January 2009 'which resolved ,to supppft the ^'Programme for Infrastructure Development in¹ Africa (PIDA) as JheTJkflique Y. strategic and sectoral framework in Africa to promote physical integrationbof’the Y - Continent and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MQGs) asMell - as the NEPAD goals of promoting sustainable growth and development for-whtch . ii t „

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the Institutional Architecture for its implementation and RESOLVES to iqpj^de national priorities, the various programmes and projects contained i,n the E^rjpfity Action Plan (PAP) of PIDA, with special consideration for Island States ^ncTto

proceed with the expeditious implementation of the Institutional Architeciy^for Infrastructure Development in Africa (lAIDA) which identifies NPQA as executing agency; \ If. Z / J¹ J

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11. UNDERSCORES the need for the promotion of innovative financing mechanisms reflecting Africa’^ real commitment to speed up infrastructure development'with the overriding nebd₌to commit sufficient resources for project preparation; and REQUESTS'the Commission to take all the necessary measures in coordination with NPCA, to "ensure th^icceleiated implementation of PIDA and to report annually thereon; - , "

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11. COMMENDS the goodiprogress achieved in' the implementation of prioritized projects under~the AU-NEPAD Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI) through the work of HSGOC High Level Sub-Committee chaired by H.E. Jacob Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa, WHILE RECOGNIZING the pressing need to address challenges of upgrade, maintenance and effective utilization of existing infrastructure to boost intra-African trade for meaningful growth and deepen regional integration;

12. ACKNOWLEDGES the technical inputs of national focal points for PICI projects to designing appropriate regional standards for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as the foundational platform to strengthen infrastructure development on the Continent with emphasis on constructive engagement with RECs and WELCOMES the offer by the Government of the Republic of South Africa as Chairperson of PICI to convene a High Level Meeting of all stakeholders including Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) to engage on re-designing the parameters of the North-South Corridor;

13. RE-EMPHASIZES the shared principles of_ ownership, transparency, mutual accountability in strengthening Africa’s.partnership with the G8 in support of the Continent’s development priorities and^NOTES’ihe development-related outcome of the G20 Summit held in November £011 in fipnnes, France, particwferly the G20 High Level Panel (HLP) on Infrastructure aid-the call on seaport for project implementation by Multilateral Development BSnJ^_ji(MDBs). SUPPORTS the strengthening of emergency and long-term ■responses to food insecurity by fostering investments in agriculture, mitigating price voJatiwN ipnpact ji ifbspeciaKy in low income countries and set-up^of the Economic Community of jvWest African States (ECOWAS) regional emergency food reserve ^ystem^"

1§rP EXAMINES the prospects for Africa’s partnership with the G8 and^G20 irr^Kfl2, UNDERSCORING the importance of ensuring that Africa’s prioritie^Mre adequately reflected on Jhe 2012 agenda of the two global forumSⁱR|f⁵id THEREFORE REQUESTS the Commission and NPCA to promptly consuhJith J/ the Governments of the United States of America and Mexico As couoJies kJ/¹ holding the 2012 Presidency of the G8 and G20 respectively, fowardfJbis objective; |₍l JL

.l£T//VELCOMES the key outcomes of the Fourth High Level Fbrum orr^id ^■/^Effectiveness held in Busan, Republic of Korea, in December 201.1 as ^eflejted in the^Bushn Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation’ particularly the \ policy shift -from Aid to Development Effectiveness and commitment to the use ’i and strengthening of country systems as default approach to enhance appropriate capacities to achieve better development results;

17. COMMENDS the conscientious and unified efforts of_African countries, regional institutions and stakeholders=to-rally behind=tbe=ftrst-ever African Consensus and Position on Development Effectiveness premised or^ South-South and Trilateral Cooperation, Financing fori'Development and Capacity Development which was developed through the facilitation and technical support of the Commission and NPCA, under the umbrella of Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev);

18. REITERATES that Africa should take necessary follow-up actions to implement the post-Busan agenda through inclusive and Africa-wide consultations in shaping the new global partnership based on the Continent’s context and REQUESTS the Commission and NPCA to actively engage the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in ensuring that Africa’s voice and

19. representation are taken into account in the emerging global partnership arrangements, for results-oriented partnership for effective development cooperation;

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NOTES WITH APPRECIATION the efforts to strengthen JUN system-wide support ,for NEPAD implerhentation through closer collaboration between NPCA and UN Agencies especially tFe^key roles of UNECAUJNDP and UN Office of Special Adviser on Africa"(UNOSAA)=and in tiiis regard? WELCOMES the 2011 Report of Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness (MRDE) produced by UNECA/OECD; Conclusion's -of 12^th UN Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM-Africa); 2011 Report on’ UNDP Human Development - Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All; and the 10^th NEPAD Anniversary Week at the 66^th UN General Assembly in New York in October 2011;

23. RE-AFFIRMS the overall significance of forward looking approaches towards the swift implementation of NEPAD in the next decade following the commemoration of the 10^th anniversary of NEPAD in 2011 and WELCOMES the planned NEPAD Colloquium and Fund-Raising as prime multi-stakeholder events in March 2012 to round up the anniversary.