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.

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