United Nations Economic Commission for Africa - Regional Coordination Mechanism - RCM

Special Session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa

Abraham.Tameru — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 11:17:56 +0000

24 February 2020

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The Special Session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) is scheduled to take place on 24 February 2020, back-to-back with the sixth session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-6); which will be held from 25 to 27 February 2020, at the Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This is to allow RCM-Africa senior officials and participants to engage and substantively contribute to the forum. The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed and the African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson, H.E. Ambassador Kwesi Quartey, will co-chair this special session and attend the ARFSD.

The main objective of the special session of the RCM is to deliberate on the theme “Leveraging the Decade of action for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 in Africa: The role of the United Nations System and the African Union organs and agencies”. In this context, the session will provide a platform to generate rich exchanges on the 2020 African Union theme: “Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa's development”. As a flagship project of Agenda 2063, ‘Silencing the guns by 2020’ was adopted by the African Union Heads of State as a vision to underscore the fact that conflict is one of the biggest challenges for the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Considering the range of important issues to be deliberated upon, the meeting format will include a round table on the theme, breakout sessions to allow for in-depth discussions and plenary sessions. Amongst the breakout sessions will be one on the 2020 AU theme of year on, “Silencing the Guns” in the context of the “Decade of Action”. The other two breakout sessions will be on the data gateway and the role of youth in realizing the two Agendas. The expected outcomes include: Consensus on actions required on the part of the United Nations Development System, the African Union organs and agencies and stakeholder to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs and Agenda 2063 goals, taking into account the Decade of Action on SDGs; and Enhanced awareness and appreciation of the 2020 AU theme, and commitment on the part of UN agencies to provide collective and coherent support for the implementation of the African Union roadmap on the theme.

The following organizations are expected to attend the session: African Peer Review Mechanism; African Union Commission; Arab Maghreb Union (AMU); African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD); Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD); East African Community (EAC); Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD); Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) of the African Union; Southern African Development Community (SADC); United Nations organizations; African Development Bank (AfDB); and development partners.

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Amina Mahommed hails AU-UN partnership in tackling Africa’s challenges
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 24 February 2020

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Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa stakeholders meet in Addis Ababa

Minilik.Demissie — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:24:24 +0000

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Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa stakeholders meet in Addis Ababa

Minilik.Demissie — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:18:14 +0000

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 25, 2017 (ECA) – Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe, on Wednesday lauded the African Union Commission’s commitment to effective partnerships, collaborative approaches and actions in support of the continent’s development aspirations.

In a speech read on her behalf by Stephen Karingi, Director of the ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division, at a Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) Stakeholders Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ms. Songwe praised efforts by the AUC and its partners to collectively work together in championing sustainable development in Africa.

The RCM-Africa, established more than two decades ago is at a crossroads, she said.

This is in view of the African Union institutional reforms and ongoing United Nations reforms, particularly as they relate to longer-term re-profiling and restructuring of regional assets.

“I am glad to note the cross-section of participants in person and virtually, from AU and UN entities at regional and sub-regional levels, representing important stakeholders of RCM-Africa and its SRCMs. I am confident that the meeting will produce useful outcomes that will contribute to charting the way forward,” said Ms. Songwe.

“I would like to thank all stakeholders of RCM-Africa and its SRCMs for their tireless efforts over the years towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of support for the AU development agenda. The ongoing reforms provide the opportunity to add new life and dynamism to our collective quest for achieving impactful results from regional to national levels.”

RCM-Africa and its Subregional Coordination Mechanisms (SRCMs) serve as a framework for the UN system to work collaboratively in supporting the priorities of the AU and its organs and agencies at regional and sub-regional levels, particularly the AU’s 2063 Agenda.

“Today’s meeting provides a platform for information sharing and reflections on the ongoing UN reforms to engender understanding on, and appreciation for what lies ahead, to mobilize for the effective implementation of transitional activities pending the outcomes of the regional consultations, and to begin preparing for the transition,” said Ms. Songwe.

For her part, Ambassador Rosette Nyirinkindi Katungye, Advisor of the Regional Integration Bureau of the AUC Chairperson, said; “We thank you, especially those of you joining us through teleconference and those who travelled all the way from outside and our colleagues from the UN system as we resume our activities.”

“We are looking forward to your usual and crucial partnership. Your presence shows how this Coordination Mechanism is to all of us in our constant efforts to be innovative to effectively deliver as one.”

She continued: “Indeed these are challenging times and we count on your wisdom to qualitatively contribute to the betterment of our systems.”

RCM-Africa exists to promote and enhance UN system-wide policy coherence, coordination and collaboration at the regional level to ‘deliver as one’ in response to identified regional priorities and initiatives of the AU. Similarly, the SRCMs serve as vehicles for UN agencies and organizations operating at the sub regional level to support AU organs at that level, particularly the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other intergovernmental organizations in a manner that minimizes fragmentation in their operations and increases coherence, coordination and collaboration.

RCM-Africa is supported by four SRCMs that cover Central Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, North and West Africa.

Since the RCMs are now linked to Regional Forums for Sustainable Development (RFSDs), the 2020 session of RCM/RCP Africa will be held back-to-back with the 6^th Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development (ARFSD) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in February.

The ongoing UN reforms are critical to determining how regional UN entities are organized and work together in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as regional and subregional development frameworks with effective linkages to national level actions for optimal results and impact.

Issued by:

Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org

SDG coordination in North Africa: five areas of intervention identified

srona.editor — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 10:29:18 +0000

Rabat, 20 June 2019 (ECA) - The ECA Office for North Africa held, on 18-19 June in Rabat (Morocco), the 6th meeting of the Sub-Regional Coordination Mechanism (SCRM) for North Africa, under the theme: Supporting the achievement of SDGs and strengthening partnerships in North Africa.

More than a dozen UN agencies and development partners took part in the meeting, including the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), AfDB, AIDMO, ARADO, ESCWA, FAO, IDB, ILO, ISESCO, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNIDO and the UN Resident Coordinators for Algeria and Morocco.

In March 2018, the previous SRCM meeting had adopted a regional roadmap to support SDG implementation in North Africa.

"The coordination mechanism and the past year’s achievements provide us with a foundation that can be progressively improved and operationalized to develop synergies and improve the effectiveness of partners' interventions," said UMA Secretary General Taïeb Baccouche in his opening speech.

Synergies are all the more crucial since, with only ten years left before the 2030 SDG deadline, significant disparities remain in terms of ownership, integration, governance, monitoring and financing, said Lilia Hachem Naas, Director of the ECA Office for North Africa. "We are faced with a lack of governance mechanisms that can provide a framework for, facilitate the coordination and monitoring of SDG implementation, and formalize the engagement of non-State actors. We also need stronger information systems as well as strategic and innovative partnerships, at all levels," said Ms Naas.

At the conclusion of the 18-19 June meeting, participants agreed on a revised roadmap for 2019-2020, which now covers five thematic areas: 1) Awareness raising, advocacy, monitoring and reporting for the implementation of both Agendas 2030 and 2063; 2) Employment; 3) Food security; 4) Climate change; and 5) Regional integration (implementation of the African Free Trade Area).

They also adopted a framework for the implementation and monitoring of the roadmap, which includes detailed plans for each thematic area, grouped into a consolidated action plan.

Having exchanged their experiences and good practices on the various instruments and mechanisms related to the mobilization of financial resources (partnerships with the private sector, development banks, etc.), participants also insisted on the need to optimize human and financial resources to facilitate the implementation of the road map.

The Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM) and its sub-regional branch in North Africa (SRCM) is coordinated by the Economic Commission for Africa, which serves as its secretariat along with the African Union. The RCM aims to facilitate the sharing of information and good practices between the United Nations system and development partners, the building of a regional vision of existing issues, and helping increase the coherence of actions carried out at the national, sub regional and regional levels.

تنسيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة في شمال أفريقيا: تحديد خمسة محاور للتدخل ذات أولوية

Communication Team
Economic Commission for Africa
Office for North Africa
Tel: +212 (0) 537 548 749
Email: filali-ansary@un.org; cea.an.coms@gmail.com

The Twentieth Session of RCM-Africa and the Third Joint Meeting of the Regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group

Minilik.Demissie — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 11:59:03 +0000

United Nations system support for the African Union in commemorating 2019 as the Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: towards durable solutions to forced displacement in Africa

23 March 2019 to 24 March 2019

Marrakech, Morocco

The twentieth session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and the third joint meeting of Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and the Africa regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group will take place on 23 and 24 March 2019 on the margins of the fifty-second session of the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to be convened at Le Palais des Congrès de la Palmeraie de Marrakech, Morocco. It will be held on the theme of “United Nations system support for the African Union in commemorating 2019 as the Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: towards durable solutions to forced displacement in Africa”.

The objectives of the meeting are twofold. The first is to provide a platform for high-level panel discussions on issues pertinent to the theme with a view to promoting interactions and generating solutions that will contribute to efforts aimed at addressing the challenge of refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa. Second, it aims to deliberate on the functioning of the mechanism and the Africa Regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group platforms, and to assess achievements, challenges and the way forward in strengthening the coherent and efficient delivery of support to the African Union and its organs in the context of African Union and United Nations reforms.

Considering the range of important issues being addressed by the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and the Africa Regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group in support of the African Union development agenda and priorities, the session will present an opportunity for meaningful interactions among stakeholders of the mechanisms and their partners with regard to strengthening that support. It will also bring together the different strands of the various African Union-United Nations cooperation frameworks in a coherent manner, taking into account the ongoing reforms.

The session is expected to result in the following:

i. Enhanced understanding, and appreciation of the refugee and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) situation in Africa in the context of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development;

ii. Agreed action-oriented recommendations on United Nations system support to the African Union, its organs and member States on addressing the challenge of refugees, returnees and IDPs;

iii. Consensus on strengthening the functioning of the Mechanism and its SRCMs in the context of the AU and UN reforms;

iv. Consensus on aligning the work of the Mechanism and the Regional UNSDG teams to the Joint AU-UN Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security and the Framework for the integrated Implementation of Agenda 2063 and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

v. Adopt RCM-Africa work plan informed by the AU and UN reforms and the AU strategic priorities.

The meeting will be attended by Senior Officials of both the African Union Commission, and the United Nations, as well as Africa regional economic communities, and development banks and other development partners. The timing of the session also provides an opportunity for these officials to engage the Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning to ensure full support for the implementation of the global, regional, subregional, and national goals including the Agenda 2063, and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

The session aide memoire, provisional agenda, annotated agenda, provisional work programme, issues paper for the panel discussions on its theme, information note and registration form, relevant reports and other electronic resources, will be posted on the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) website (https://www.uneca.org/rcm).

All participants are expected to register online using this link and to ensure to fulfil all visa requirements. For more information please contact Zewditu Befekadu (befekaduz@un.org) and copied to Nozipho Freya Simelane (simelane@un.org) and Hellen Atieno Oketch-Dwumfour (HellenD@africa-union.org).

Adhoc Expert Group Meeting on Monitoring and Evaluation in the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa

cdd.editor — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 15:04:20 +0000

5 December 2018 to 6 December 2018

Nairobi, Kenya

The Secretariat of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) is adhoc expert group meetings to deliberate on a draft study report on Enhancing monitoring and evaluation in the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya on 5 to 6 December 2018. The study entails a comprehensive review of the issues pertaining to the development of an operational results-based M&E framework for the RCM and SRCMs. The intent is to establish a framework that will permit the clusters to track progress and results achieved in implementing agreed priority activities in support of the AU and its organs, including the RECs. It builds on among other reports and tools, the “Report on Enhancing monitoring and evaluation in the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa” and accompanying framework of 2015, as well as the AU Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development joint M&E and reporting framework.

The meeting will be held back-to-back in Nairobi, Kenya with the EGM on Strengthening subregional coordination, to be held on 3 and 4 December 2018. The meetings will provide platforms for participants to deliberate on the draft study reports with a view to identifying gaps, providing comments and inputs and proposing recommendations to inform their finalization. The meetings will also provide platforms for experts and policy makers from African regional and subregional organizations, UN system agencies and organizations, to engage in meaningful deliberations on strengthening the functioning of RCM- Africa and the SRCMs in the context of the AU and UN reforms. The final study reports and outcomes of the meetings will collectively feed into the 20^th Session of RCM-Africa to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 23 and 24 March, 2019.

For more information please contact Ms. Zewditu Befekadu, E-mail: befekaduz@un.org; Ms. Nozipho Freya Simelane, E-mail: simelane@un.org; or Mr. Moctar Diouf, Email: diouf15@un.org. Meeting documents can be access via the links below:

Documents

1. Concept Note

2. Provisional Programme of Work

3. Draft Report on Monitoring and Evaluation in the RCM

4. Terms of Reference

Adhoc Expert Group Meeting on Strengthening Subregional Coordination Mechanisms

cdd.editor — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 14:29:07 +0000

3 December 2018 to 4 December 2018

Nairobi, Kenya

The Joint Secretariat of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) and the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) will be holding an adhoc expert group meeting to deliberate on the draft study report on Strengthening Subregional Coordination in support of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development in Nairobi, Kenya from 3 to 4 November 2018.

The objective of the study on strengthening subregional coordination is to investigate how the Subregional Coordination Mechanisms (SRCMs) could be improved to ensure efficient and effective support to Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) taking into account the issues and challenges presently faced by the mechanisms and emerging ones. The intent is to leverage the momentum in the ongoing African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) reforms for a more coordinated and fit-for-purpose support at the subregional level, and at the same time ensure effective linkages with national and regional level UN coordination mechanisms. While the focus of the study is on strengthening the SRCMs in Africa, it is expected to contribute to the reflections on reinforcing synergies between country, subregional and regional level actions and other cost-efficiency and rationalization measures in the context of the AU and UN reforms.

The meeting will be held back-to-back the EGM on Enhancing M&E in RCM- Africa, which will be held on 5 and 6 December, 2018. The meetings will provide platforms for participants to deliberate on the draft study reports with a view to identifying gaps, providing comments and inputs and proposing recommendations to inform their finalization. The meetings will also provide platforms for experts and policy makers from African regional and subregional organizations, UN system agencies and organizations, to engage in meaningful deliberations on strengthening the functioning of RCM- Africa and the SRCMs in the context of the AU and UN reforms. The final study reports and outcomes of the meetings will collectively feed into the 20^th Session of RCM-Africa to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 23 and 24 March, 2019.

Documents

1. Concept Note

2. Provisional Programme of Work

3. Draft Document on Strengthening Subregional Mechanisms

4. Terms of Reference

Nineteenth session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa

cdd.editor — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 09:41:43 +0000

United Nations system support for the African Union in winning the fight against corruption: a sustainable path to Africa’s transformation

12 May 2018 to 13 May 2018

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa holds regular inter-agency meetings in partnership with the African Union, with a view to improving coordination and enhancing the collaboration of the United Nations system in providing support to the region. It draws its mandate from General Assembly resolutions 32/197 and 71/254 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/46 (annex III). Its nineteenth session will serve as a platform for the discussion of emerging issues in Africa and be held in Addis Ababa on 12 and 13 May 2018, concurrent with the Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economy, which will be held in Addis Ababa from 11 to15 May 2018.

The theme of the nineteenth session is “United Nations system support for the African Union in winning the fight against corruption: a sustainable path to Africa’s transformation”. This issue is timely because the goal of many African countries, as enshrined in their development plans or strategies, and in global and regional goals, is to reach middle-income country status by the next decade, which can be achieved through an increase in per capita income. There is recognition, however, that such a noble ambition may not be realized if wanton corruption and illicit financial flows that prevail in many African countries are not addressed swiftly. The nineteenth session will provide an opportunity for the United Nations and the African Union to strategize on efforts to combat corruption and illicit financial flows and contribute to an improvement in systems that ensure Africa’s transformation and success in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Participants will also consider a progress report on the work of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa, review and approve the work programme, in line with United Nations-African Union partnership on Africa’s integration and development agenda for 2017-2027 (PAIDA), for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 and other existing development frameworks.

The expected outcomes of the meeting include consensus on the following: (a) the coordinated United Nations support for the African Union and its member States on combating corruption and illicit financial flows in order to promote development; (b) a mechanism for the implementation of the framework of the United Nations-African Union partnership on Africa's integration and development agenda for 2017-2027 (PAIDA); and the new United Nations-African Union Frameworks on Sustainable Development, and Peace and Security; and (c) the work programme of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa and its new clusters for 2018 and 2019.

The nineteenth session is expected to be co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union. Members of Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa include senior officials of the United Nations and the African Union, regional economic communities and associated institutions, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, the African Peer Review Mechanism, intergovernmental organizations, the African Development Bank, and other international partners of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union.

For more information, contact Anthonia Nwanze-Iyanda, Office of the Deputy Chairperson, African Union (email: Anthonial@africa-union.org), and Nozipho Simelane (email: simelane@un.org), Capacity Development Division, Economic Commission for Africa.

Expert Group Meeting to review the draft Information Sharing and Collaboration Framework and Implementation Plan

cdd.editor — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 16:31:33 +0000

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Regional and Sub-Regional Joint Programming through the utilization of Information Communications Technologies

10 July 2017 to 11 July 2017

Nairobi, Kenya

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is to host an Ad hoc Expert Group meeting to review the draft of the Information Sharing and Collaboration Framework and Implementation Plan, from10 - 11 July 2017 at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

Despite the significant achievements of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM- Africa) and its subsidiary Subregional Coordination Mechanisms (SRCMs), challenges exist in the sharing of information due to the lack of a common platform for the exchange and sharing of information between members of the RCM-Africa. The existence of a common platform could be used by the RCM-Africa in the formulation of joint programmes and activities of the clusters in support of the strategic priorities of the African Union, its organs, and institution including the regional economic communities.

The RCM and SRCMs further in their reports to the 15th, 16th and 17th Annual sessions of RCM Africa highlighted the need for information sharing and management system to facilitate their work. Even though the RCM has existed since 1999 and has over 32 UN Organizations and Agencies working in Africa, AU Organizations and entities, four Subregional Coordination Mechanisms, and numerous IGOs, as members, the mechanism has no substantive knowledge sharing mechanism despite taking a minimalist approach to the issue of having a secretariat. As much as the mechanism has been expanded, a system for management of information and collaboration has not been established beyond the Annual Session of RCM. Therefore, emanating from the above mentioned EGM was the need for the development of a knowledge and collaboration management strategy to address coordination in the context of the SRCM and RCM. Efficient and effective collaboration at sub-regional levels between the RECs, IGOs and AU organizations, and UN Organizations and agencies working in Africa in support of the AU and its priorities, calls for the sharing of information and development of systems for managing collaboration in a timely and efficient manner is crucial for the success of both the RCM and SRCMs.

In this regard, the RCM-Africa secretariat has engaged a consultant to develop a framework to guide the information sharing and collaboration in the context of the mechanisms by leveraging on ICT platforms. The institutional framework spells out the guiding principles and actions that need to be taken in order to efficiently and uniformly leverage ICT to support, strengthen and enhance communication, information sharing and collaboration in the RCM.

The overall objective of the EGM is to review information sharing and collaboration management strategy and implementation plan for the utilization of information communications technologies to improve the effectiveness of the RCM and SRCMs . Specifically, the objective of the EGM is to review how the framework:

i. Facilitates the work of the secretariats especially in developing programmes and reports and management of the RCM and SRCM.

ii. Facilitates management and the work of the clusters

iii. Facilitates communication and information sharing

iv. Facilitates resource mobilization and manage participation in the RCM, and

v. Creates a framework for archiving the past work of the secretariat and clusters.

The expected outcome is the strengthening of the RCM and SRCMs as Mechanisms, improved delivery of mandates and increased joint activities.

The meeting in Nairobi is part of a series of events being conducted with the broad aim of strengthening the coordination mechanisms, at the continental and subregional levels, so as to support the African Union, its institutions, organs and regional economic communities on the implementation of priorities including Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The EGM will bring together experts to review the report and make concrete recommendations with the view of enhancing communication within the RCM. The EGM will be attended by technical experts, RCM-Africa coordinators, members of the RCM-Africa secretariat, and staff members with expertise on knowledge and collaboration management from the United Nations, the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Agency, Regional Economic Communities, and other RCM-Africa partners.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Nozipho Simelane

RCM-Africa Joint Secretariat

Capacity Development Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Box 3005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251-11-5443537
Mobile: +251-911-201798

Email: Simelane@un.org
www.uneca.org

Mr. Joseph Atta-Mensah

RCM-Africa Joint Secretariat

Capacity Development Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Box 3005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel:+251-11-5443537
Mobile: +251-911-201798

Email:atta-mensahj@un.org
www.uneca.org

Expert Group Meeting on the Final Triennial Review of the Ten Year Capacity Building Programme for the African Union and the Transition Plan to the new Partnership for Africa’s Integration and Development Agenda

cdd.editor — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 16:13:17 +0000

12 July 2017 to 13 July 2017

Nairobi, Kenya

On 12-13 July 2017, in Nairobi, Kenya, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will be holding an Expert Group Meeting to discuss the report on the Final Triennial Review of the Ten Year Capacity Building Programme for the AU (TYCBP-AU) and Transition Plan to the renewed Partnership for Africa’s Integration and Development Agenda (PAIDA).

The TYCBP-AU which began in 2006 and came to an end in December 2016, sought to broaden the partnership in institutional strengthening and capacity building between the AU and the UN, to encompass activities that go beyond peace and security, and cover governance, conflict prevention, development, human rights and regional integration. It was to serve to enhance institutional and technical capacities, and cooperation between the UN, AU and Regional Economic Communities. This was a comprehensive programme that reflected a broad range of UN efforts in support of the African Union and the sub-regional organizations in areas:

® Institution building; human resources development and financial management;

® Peace and security,

® human rights,

® political, legal and electoral matters;

® Social, economic, cultural and human development; and

® Food security as well as environmental protection

The TYCBP was the result of a Declaration signed on 16 November 2006 by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Alpha Konare, as called for in UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/1 of 2005. The Declaration was subsequently endorsed by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 63/310) and the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Declaration recognizes the evolving nature of the Framework in which “cooperation will continue to develop in a practical fashion, taking into account each organization’s specific expertise and capabilities, and contributing to improving collaboration among all elements of the international community’s response to the challenges on the African continent” (paragraph 7).

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/60/1 of 2005 also mandated that the programme was to be reviewed every three years. Accordingly, the first triennial review was carried out in 2010; which covered the period 2006-2009, taking into account the guidelines provided by the Tenth Session of the RCM-Africa, that took place on 5 and 6 November 2009, which reiterated its commitment to the effective implementation of the TYCBP-AU and recognized the need to address all priority needs of the AU and enhance its capacity within the cooperation framework. The meeting further underlined that the review should be thorough and that it should consider the past and ongoing capacity building efforts by UN system organizations and other partners. The second review took place in 2013. To undertake the third and final triennial review, the RCM-Africa Secretariat engaged a senior consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of the TYCBP-AU, highlighting the challenges and achievements with a view making proposals for the strengthening of the mechanism of cooperation between the UN and AU within the framework of PAIDA. With the TYCBP-AU coming to an end, the General Assembly on December 19, 2016, under resolution A/71/L.50, adopted the new United Nations – African Union Partnership for Africa’s Integration and Development Agenda 2017-2027 (PAIDA) framework as the successor framework of the TYCBP-AU. PAIDA will therefore serve as an overall platform for UN-AU cooperation anchored on Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The main objective of the Expert Group Meeting is to review the document on the final triennial review and to assess the impact and effectiveness the of TYCBP-AU taking into account the recommendations of the first and second triennial review to gather lessons learned with a view to enhancing and strengthening the capacity the effectiveness of the successor programme PAIDA The EGM also gives an opportunity to strategize on the transition from the TYCBP-AU to PAIDA and a chance for corrections to be made regarding resource mobilization which was outstanding throughout the life of the TYCBP, hindering implementation. The meeting is part of a series of events being conducted with the broad aim of strengthening the coordination mechanisms, at the continental and sub regional levels, so as to support the African Union, its institutions, organs and regional economic communities on the implementation of priorities including Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The main outcome will be strengthening United Nations Support to the implementation of AU and priority programmes through better alignment of programmes between subregional and regional levels among UN agencies as well as an increase in joint activities conducted by the UN System in partnership with the AU. This should help maximize the impact of the UN response to the development needs on the continent, as well facilitate the realization of the vision of regional integration.

It is expected that the EGM will be attended by joint programming experts as well as representatives of the AU,RECs, SROs, UN Organizations and agencies operating in Africa, and other international partners operating in Africa including the African Development Bank..

The following are contact details for the secretariat:

Mr. Joseph Atta-Mensah

RCM-Africa Joint Secretariat

Capacity Development Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Box 3005, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251-11-5445468
atta-mensahj@un.org
www.uneca.org

Ms. Nadine Elhakim

RCM-Africa Joint Secretariat

Bureau of Deputy Chairperson

African Union Commission

P.O. Box , Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: +251-912645882

NadineH@africa-union.org

http://au.int/