Decision on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) - Doc. Assembly/AU/12(XXX)

DECISION ON THE NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR
AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT (NEPAD)

Doc. Assembly/AU/12(XXX)

The Assembly,

1. NOTES WITH APPRECIATION the Report by the Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC), H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal;

2. REAFFIRMS the continued relevance and uniqueness of accelerating the implementation of Agenda 2063 and, the vehicle to enhance multi-sectoral and integrated approach to deliver transformative results as enshrined in the NEPAD Programme and the role that the NEPAD Agency plays and that will be reinforced in the proposed transition of the NEPAD Agency into the African Union Development Agency;

3. REASSERTS the essential role played by the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) in the provision of political leadership and strategic direction to the NEPAD programme;

4. TAKES NOTE of the implementation of key national, regional and continental programmes and projects as reflected in the NEPAD Agency Results-based Performance Report for January-December 2017 SPECIFICALLY NOTING the progress of implementing key continental policies and frameworks such as Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA), Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF), Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan of Africa (PMPA), and Rural Futures;

5. COMMENDS the NEPAD Agency for the development and implementation of the Blueprint (policy framework) to Implement Rural Development Policies in Africa” and FURTHER REQUESTS the NEPAD Agency, with the support of development partners, to develop projects and programmes for the operationalisation of the Blueprint through the application of geo-spatial planning and remote sensing technologies;

6. RECOGNIZES sustainable tourism as one of Africa’s engines of growth and development and APPRECIATES the contributions of the NEPAD Agency and its partners towards sustainable tourism in Africa, through the implementation of the NEPAD Tourism Action Plan (TAP) of 2004 the progress made in the development the NEPAD Policy Framework on Youth Employment in Africa. REQUESTS the NEPAD Agency and development partners to update the Tourism Action Plan, as well as to create programmes and projects to support the domestication of the tourism-related sections of Agenda 2063;

7. RECALLS the Decisions Assembly/AU/Dec.488 (XXI) and Assembly/AU/Dec.508(XXII) and NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the NEPAD Agency’s 5% Agenda campaign by the Continental Business Network (CBN), aiming to increase investment allocations by African institutional asset owners, like Pension and Sovereign Wealth Funds, into African infrastructure from its current low base of about 1.5% of assets under management to a more impactful 5%;

8. WELCOMES and ENDORSES the final version of the Model Law for Trans-boundary Infrastructure Projects in Africa (PIDA Model Law) developed by UNECA in response to the Decision Assem bly/AU/Dec. 563 (XXIV) and calls on Member States to consider the PIDA Model Law as part of the tools for enhancing private sector investment in transboundary infrastructure in Africa and REQUESTS NEPAD Agency, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Regional Economic Communities to assist Member States in domesticating the Model Law within their respective national legislative bodies;

9. RECALLS the Decision (Assembly/AU/Dec.601 (XXVI) of January 2016, in which the year 2017 was themed “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through investments in Youth”, and TAKES NOTE of the ongoing development of the Skills and Employment for Youth (SEFY) strategy by the NEPAD Agency, strategy for implementing various continental policy frameworks and to support national development policy planning, as well as engage private sector to drive inclusive economic growth and wealth creation;

10. COMMENDS the NEPAD Agency and the African Union Commission, in cooperation with the Government of Germany, for establishing the Skills Initiative for Africa Finance Facility hosted at the NEPAD Agency in 2017, INVITES other African Member States to work with the NEPAD Agency for the extension of the Skills Initiative for Africa Funding Facility for funding of projects related to Technical Vocation and Education Training (TVET), including development and rehabilitation of TVET facilities;

11. COMMENDS the NEPAD Agency for establishing the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI) and WELCOMES the efforts by African Heads of states and government to become actively involved in the development and implementation of regional and continental infrastructure projects; WELCOMES Namibia’s accession into PICI;

12. COMMENDS progress made on the efforts initiated by Member States and partners to tackle TB as a multi-sectoral regional challenge such as the Southern Africa TB and Health Systems Support Project which is galvanizing efforts of Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, and other SADC countries. WELCOMES efforts towards establishing regional centres of excellence on TB control and setting up a recognition scheme for private sector’s contribution to TB

control. CALLS UPON Member States and partners to expand such efforts to cover more countries in order to enhance impact. EMPHASIZES on the need for increased financial and technical commitment, and accountability for disease surveillance, innovative prevention, detection and treatment of TB from both domestic sources and international partners. COMMITS to target efforts towards fighting TB where it matters most, in the vulnerable communities and hot spots for the spread of the diseases such as mining communities, transport corridors, correctional facilities, migrants and refugees towards ending TB by 2030;

13. REQUESTS the NEPAD Agency to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation function in order to effectively deliver tangible and visualized results and guide the implementation of continental development frameworks as stipulated in Agenda 2063;

14. APPLAUDS the enriched quality of the technical work of the NPCA team under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki;

15. TAKES NOTE of the progress made so far, DECIDES to harmonise the outcomes of the HSGOC meeting and the outcomes of the current Session of the Assembly on institutional reform of the AU, and to continue consultations and report to the Summit in June/July 2018.