Decision on the Transformation of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) into the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) – Doc. Assembly/AU/2 (XXXI)

DECISION ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE NEPAD PLANNING
AND COORDINATING AGENCY (NPCA) INTO
THE AFRICAN UNION DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (AUDA)
Doc.Assembly/AU/2 (XXXI)

The Assembly,

1. RECALLS decision Assembly/AU/Dec.635(XXVIII) on the Institutional Reform of the African Union of January 2017, which proposes the transformation of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) into an African Union Development Agency (AUDA);

2. ALSO RECALLS decision Assembly/AU/Dec.685(XXX) of January 2018 on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which 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;

3. WELCOMES favourably the reform process implemented and REINFORCES that the principle of ownership is crucial in attaining the desired goals;

4. DECIDES as follows:

1. On the statute of AUDA:

APPROVES the establishment of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) as the technical body of the African Union with its own legal personality defined by its statute. In this regard, REQUESTS the Commission, in consultation with NPCA, to develop a statute for AUDA and submit it for adoption at the February 2019 Summit;

2. On the mandate of AUDA:

NOTES that the mandate of AUDA shall be finalized after consultation with the African Union Commission due to its own ongoing reform, and NPCA for adoption by the Assembly of the Union in February 2019;

3. On the Governance Structures of AUDA:

EMPHASIZES the importance of the Governance structures of AUDA and the need to render them more inclusive;

5. FURTHER DECIDES that the structures of AUDA comprise:

1. A Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) that provides political leadership and strategic guidance on the ALIDA and reports to the Assembly. It will be constituted as follows:

1. to ensure inclusivity, the HSGOC shall be expanded from twenty (20) to thirty-three (33) Member States as follows: eight (8) Member States chairing the Regional Economic Communities and five (5) Member States per region;

2. the Principle of rotation shall be applied to the membership after a term of two (2) years;

3. the rotation of the Chairperson of the HSGOC after a single term of two (2) years, shall alternate between initiating members and non­initiating members;

4. the Steering Committee is established as an intermediary body to interface between the HSGOC and the ALIDA. It consists of the personal representatives of the Heads of State and Government, members of the HSGOC. The Steering Committee shall be co-chaired by the Member State chairing the HSGOC and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

2. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission exercises supervisory authority over the AUDA.

6. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission and the Chief Executive Officer of the NPCA to take all necessary measures for the implementation of this Decision and to present at the February 2019 Summit the revised Rules of Procedure of the AUDA Governance Structures;

7. ALSO REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission, in coordination with the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, to undertake the necessary consultations to elect the new Member States of the HSGOC as well as the Chairperson of that Orientation Committee;

8. COMMENDS the leadership of President Macky SALL that reinforced the credibility of NEPAD, that has been acknowledged within the international community, most particularly the African Union partners including the G20 and the G7;

9. CONGRATULATES President Macky SALL and extends its gratitude for his commitment and the efficiency that he demonstrated during the four years of his tenure.