Former Makerere University lecturer in the school of Mass communication, Andrew Kanyegirire is now in Geneva, Switzerland to head the communication’s department at the council on health research for Development.

Kanyegirire has been in charge of communications and advocacy at New Partnership for African Development in (NEPAD) Johannesburg, South Africa. In Geneva Kanyegirire is heading a team of over 100 young professionals to rejuvenate NEPAD.

Before his appointment at NEPAD, Kanyegirire was a researcher at the institute for security studies in Pretoria. He holds a PhD in Journalism and Media studies from Rhodes University, South Africa. In Uganda, Kanyegirire taught research and media history at Makerere University and many of the students he taught became key journalists, media managers, public relations officers and politicians.

By Walakira Nyanzi

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Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, kicked off a panel discussion on the continent’s future, saying that since its inception in 2001, the Partnership had promoted innovative approaches to improving African economies. He was accompanied by Amos Namanga Ngongi, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa; Cheikh Sidi Diarra, United Nations Special Adviser on Africa and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States; and Amos Sawyer, a member of the NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism’s Panel of Eminent Persons.

Describing a number of NEPAD successes in response to questions, Mr. Mayaki cited a centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, that provided policy inputs for the use of biotechnology in the health and agriculture sectors. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) focused on that sector as the best way to reduce poverty and create jobs, he said, recalling that before the Programme’s creation, agriculture had been neglected for 30 years and left off the agenda of donors. Additionally, the NEPAD-led Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, in which the African Development Bank was involved, had designed a strategic framework for the development of regional and continental infrastructure.

Complementing those efforts, Mr. Sawyer added, was the African Peer Review Mechanism, an instrument born in 2003 and to which African Union member States had and voluntarily acceded. It encouraged conformity of political, economic and corporate-governance standards among African countries, he said, describing the Mechanism as a scientific, action-focused process that had culminated in a plan of action for each country, in the belief that self-assessment and good governance were closely linked to institutional development. “We go beyond words,” he added.

For its own part, Mr. Diarra said, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa had provided an entry point for the United Nations to support NEPAD processes, notably through the interdepartmental Task Force on African Affairs, which worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to ensure coherence.

Mr. Ngongi said: “There is no challenge greater for Africa than the capacity to feed itself.” As a NEPAD partner, the Alliance for a Green Revolution was a non-State actor working with farmers to transform the continent’s agriculture, he said, adding that the sector was vital to increasing the income of 70 per cent of Africa’s population.

Responding to a series of questions, Mr. Mayaki described a planning commission created in reaction to the “erosion” of strategic thinking resulting from International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment programmes. Stressing that planning was essential, he said it was taking on a new importance in the context of climate change, a multisectoral issue affecting agriculture, health, land tenure and infrastructure. Referring specifically to climate change, he noted that while Africa was the least responsible for pollution, it suffered the phenomenon’s greatest impacts. “We need to push our negotiating stance in the global negotiations arena” and to design adaptation strategies to help reach set objectives, he emphasized. Such strategies were already being launched in some countries, he said, adding that the challenge was one of financing. More domestic resources must be brought into policies.

Mr. Sawyer added that climate change was a potential source of intra-State conflict as it affected environmental and other resources.

Asked about the Peer Review Mechanism, Mr. Sawyer said every review ended with a programme of action laid out for the participating country. The concerned Government then filed a progress report highlighting successes and challenges. Countries including South Africa and Kenya had admitted that they had not initially adopted the Review’s findings, but they had later taken the reports more seriously. Implementation difficulties were often due to “competition” with other poverty-reduction or mid-term development plans, he said, adding that the challenge lay aligning all such plans with each other.

To a question about the world body’s work with the Bretton Woods institutions, Mr. Diarra said the United Nations was increasing its cooperation with them, notably through the Economic and Social Council’s special high-level meetings. The World Bank and IMF were also full members of the Task Force on African Affairs, participating in regional coordination mechanisms, he added.

As to whether he would assume a role in ECA, he said he was unaware of any openings in the Commission. “As a result, I have not applied and I am not a candidate.”

Asked whether NEPAD was primarily focused on planning, Mr. Mayaki said its development strategy was linked to a delivery process carried out in various subregions around the continent. In West Africa, for example, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme had been translated into a regional strategy for States. The implementation phase called for enhanced institutional ability to evaluate situations and increase both private-sector investment and human capital. In the infrastructure area, resources had been channelled through the African Development Bank, he said, describing that model as “unique worldwide”.

Turning to the issue of corruption, he said Africa was not the most corrupt continent, adding “Asia is as corrupt as Africa”. The difference was that the fruits of corruption in Asia stayed there, whereas in Africa they did not.

On that point, Mr. Sawyer said “we need to have institutional clarity, functioning judiciaries and strong political will”. Civil society organizations must do more to involve people in the fight against corruption, he added, pointing out that 30 countries had acceded to the African Peer Review.

Addressing other queries, Mr. Diarra described two processes affecting Africa today. Decentralization had allowed local communities to “take up their fate” on issues like education and health under central Government supervision, but with more space for local government. In addition, Africa’s regional integration had “softened” the grip of centralized power in many countries, especially in relation to regional agreements already ratified and awaiting implementation. Integration also cast light on how Governments spent money and made decisions, he added.

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NEPAD week at the United Nations Headquarters, New York

Theme: “Reflecting on a Decade of Change/Progress – Moving forward Africa‟s development agenda through strengthening NEPAD-UN Partnership”

Indicative dates: 6 to 11 October 2011 (NEPAD Week during the 66th UN General Assembly)

Venue: AU Permanent Observer Mission, New York; UN Headquarters, New York; Columbia University, New York

Core Objectives:

• To engage the global development community including the UN system towards strengthening partnerships in the implementation of NEPAD as the flagship socio-economic development programme of the African Union, and achieving the MDGs;
• To firm up support of UN system Agencies and other organizations working in Africa for the new NEPAD mandate and programmatic implementation;
• Raising awareness on NEPAD agenda and its achievements and remaining challenges among African policy makers, scholars, diplomatic corps, the youth and Africans in the Diaspora; and
• To popularize the work of NEPAD governance structures and related institutions and raising support for the newly established NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA).

Event Configuration

A NEPAD Week will be observed with the following key events/activities:

1)     06 October (15:00-18:00): Special Briefing of the African Group by NEPAD on “Advancing NEPAD Implementation over a decade of opportunities” at the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN located 305 East 47th Street, 5th Floor, New York, followed by a reception hosted by the AU Observer Mission [CLOSE EVENT];

2)     07 October (10:00-12:15): Panel Discussion on “NEPAD and the MDGs: Progress, Challenges and the Way Forward” at ECOSOC Chamber, NLB, UNHQ, New York [OPEN EVENT WITH UN ID & OPEN EVENT WITH REGISTRATION];

3)     07 October (12:30-13:00): Press briefing / media advisory at Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, UNHQ, New York, followed by bilateral interviews by NPCA CEO and lead media houses (CNN, TV5, Le Monde, NYT, UNU, Africa Renewal magazine) to be determined [OPEN EVENT WITH UN ID];

4)     07 October (15:30-17:30): Special Briefing of the UN Inter-Agency / Departmental Task Force on Africa on “Strengthening the UN – NEPAD Partnership” at Conference Room DC1-1235 [CLOSE EVENT];

5)     10 October (10:00-13:00): Briefing to the UN Member States on: (i) the reports of the Secretary-General on NEPAD and Causes of Conflict and promotion of durable peace in Africa; and (ii) by the NEPAD/NPCA CEO on “Progress and forward looking approaches in NEPAD Implementation – Reflecting on a Decade of Change” at Conference Room 6, NLB, UNHQ, New York [OPEN EVENT WITH UN ID];

6)     10 October (18:00-20:00): Special commemorative lecture on “Africa‟s Decade of Transformation – The NEPAD perspective” at School of International and Public Affairs Columbia University located 420 West 118th Street, 15th Floor, New York, followed by a cocktail hosted by Columbia University [OPEN EVENT WITH REGISTRATION];

7)     11 October (TBC): First statement of the NEPAD Agency as an Observer Mission (African Union status) on the occasion of the UN General Assembly Debate on NEPAD or “NEPAD DAY” at the UN General Assembly Hall, UNHQ, New York [OPEN EVENT WITH UN ID];

8)     11 October (12:30-13:00): Press briefing / media advisory at Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, UNHQ, New York, followed by bilateral interviews by NPCA CEO and lead media houses (CNN, TV5, Le Monde, NYT, UNU, Africa Renewal magazine) to be determined [OPEN EVENT WITH UN ID].

Other related activities:

• Short video documentary on “NEPAD – The Journey So Far” screening
• NEPAD@10 in 10 Pictures Exhibition on the theme “A decade of change and progress”
• Youth Competition pictures exhibition: projection of a PowerPoint show
• NEPAD Informative Documentation distribution
• MDGs in Africa UNECA Report launch
• Secretary-General Reports on NEPAD and Causes of Conflict and promotion of durable peace in Africa
• “Invest in Africa” AU publication launch

Expected Participants

High ranking representatives of UN Member States, UN Agencies and Organizations, African institutions, the international development community, African Permanent Representatives to the UN and Ambassadors in the US, the private sector, civil society organizations, the African Diaspora, and Media

Key sponsoring partners: AUC, NPCA, UN-OSAA, UNECA; UNDPI, Columbia University

For information on NEPAD’s 10^th Anniversary, please  click here>>>

Best wishes,

The NEPAD Communications Team.
www.nepad.org 

The Communications Team.

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The African Union (AU) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, convened a special consultation of the Steering Group of the Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day as part of a plan to firm up the implementation of activities that will lead up to the continent-wide commemoration of the Day on October 30^th. The statistics of Africa’s food insecurity and compromised nutritional status are staggering and well known. Over 200 million Africans are undernourished and an even greater proportion suffers from vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

 However, there is hope that the fight against malnutrition can be won.

 The opportunity for intra-African trade of agriculture food commodities that are of high value and nutritionally sound is immense. What needs to be done at the earliest opportunity is to apply some of the more relevant indigenous knowledge systems around the best nutrition, as has been done for generations. But more importantly, the time is ripe for scaling up proven interventions.Therefore, one of the main goals and objectives of Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day is to ensure that information and knowledge is transmitted and communicated to all the different levels of consumers – policy makers, progamme implementers and all the vulnerable households.

 Given the challenges of poor research and policy translation into action and tangible results coupled by weak capacity in many member states and the evidently low investments in nutrition programmes, this can only lead to malnutrition. So, the Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day provides an opportunity for changing the status quo and ensuring a robust accountability mechanism. The Day will showcase the potential for adequately linking agriculture and nutrition value chains. Therefore, recognising the richness of Africa’s traditional and indigenous nutritious food commodities, educating the public on the best utilisation, sharing success stories on progress in reducing hunger and malnutrition in Africa is imperative.

 While there may be challenges, there clearly are models to be learnt from and emulated. This will take a concerted effort across all Government sectors, Private sector, Civil Society Organisations, Development partners, Institutions of Higher Learning and the average African to commit and contribute towards delivering and attaining the best nutrition for all.

 The commemoration will be at two levels, continentally and at the level of member states.   The activities will focus on 4 main flagship areas; dietary diversity, homegrown school feeding, maternal and child nutrition and food fortification.

 “If Africa does not invest in food and nutrition security, the consequences will be big…” says Boitshepo Bibi Giyose, Senior Advisor for Food and Nutrition Security at the NEPAD Agency.

 “This is the time for Africa, the energy is palpable, the momentum and support is promising, hence, let’s seize the DAY! “, she adds enthusiastically

Ms. Boitshepo Bibi Giyose is the Senior Advisor for Food and Nutrition Security at the NEPAD Agency

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The essay competition is themed; “Looking at ICTs and entrepreneurship in agriculture and rural development through the eyes of women and the youth” and “Looking at ICTs, agriculture, entrepreneurship and climate change in Africa through the eyes of women and the youth” for the photo competition.

This contest also falls in the framework of CTA activities on Youth, Women and ICTs. In line with these objectives, CTA and the NEPAD Agency are searching for enthusiastic Africans, who want to demonstrate their abilities by examining these issues.

Please follow the links below to download the announcements:

• Photo Competition – English | French
• Essay Competition – English | French

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In his presentation to the 42^nd SC session, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency), said that capacity building, infrastructure and agriculture as in the shape of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) accounted for some of the critical areas in which the Agency was making progress in the roll-out of continental projects and programmes.

The NEPAD Agency CEO also briefed the SC on the progress that has been made with regard to the integration of the NEPAD Agency into the African Union (AU) structures and processes, with specific reference being given to the Agency’s strategic direction and its’ adoption of AU rules, regulations and practices for human resources and finance.

In his remarks, Dr Mayaki revealed that in commemorating the 10th Anniversary of NEPAD, the Agency would give a strong signal on how Africa can harness its development challenges under the umbrella of the AU.

Crucially, the 41st SC was also briefed on the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) in Durban, South Africa, where the NEPAD Agency in partnership with the African Union will participate in firming up the African common position on climate change.

In response to the presentation the NEPAD SC went on to endorse the recommendations in the NEPAD Activity Report and outlook for 2011, noting in particular the:

• programmatic activities based on NEPAD’s thematic and priority areas such as Agriculture and Food Security, Regional Integration and Infrastructure, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management , Human Development as well as Economic Governance and Corporate Governance and Cross Cutting Issues;
• institutional efforts at results-based management and performance and;
• the roll-out of key regional and continental programmes, in collaboration with the AU Commission.

Heads of key development agencies, leading experts as well as heads of regional bodies such as Dr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Director of the Economic Development and NEPAD Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Zemenay Lakew, Senior Programme Advisor at the United Nations Development Programme and Bakary Kone, Chief of External Affairs and Partnerships at the African Capacity Building Foundation elaborated on their continued support for the implementation of the NEPAD programme.

The NEPAD SC is primarily responsible for developing the terms of reference for identified programmes and projects, and for overseeing the work and programmatic activities of the NEPAD Agency. This committee consists of the personal representatives of the heads of state that seat on the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC).

For more information and to arrange for interviews, contact:

Andrew Kanyegirire, OIC – Communications, Cell: +27-83-704-4506, Email: andrewk@nepad.org

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1.     Two-thirds of African people derive their income from agriculture and spend between 50 and 80% of their income on food. These figures show the importance of agriculture on the continent.

2.     Food insecurity remains the biggest challenge in developing countries and African countries in particular. The measures to be taken by G20 countries may have a direct impact on the daily lives of people in Africa hence their importance for us.

3.     Food security is a matter of sovereignty and a national security challenge. That is why any actions in this regard should be discussed with Governments and regional organizations. The specific mechanisms in a good number of countries or implemented by specialized regional institutions should be at the heart of deliberations with our partners when working on systems to mitigate the effects of food insecurity. This is especially true when it comes to the sensitive issue of managing strategic food reserves.

The role of the G20

4.     Considering that the G20 countries account for more than 85% of global production and food exports, one can easily understand the huge responsibility these countries have when it comes to implementing measures that contribute to the well-being of the general community .We welcome their efforts. Their influence in the global food balance is paramount and we encourage them to embark on ambitious goals, such as restoring production and stock levels to limit tensions on the market. This may yield benefits for the community as a whole.

The African perspective

5.     African countries are not looking forward to depending continuously on external supplies that will remain uncertain in prices and quantities. Actually, our ultimate and unquestionable ambition is to develop our agriculture and markets. In this regard, NEPAD is working towards this goal through its Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). In our opinion, we must rely on our own production to meet our food needs. In fact, importation is not Africa’s goal .

6.    All developed and emerging countries started out by conquering their domestic markets before taking advantage of production gains to end up exporting. This choice to focus on domestic demand was warranted by an enabling and stable economic environment, enhanced for instance by access to credit facilities that were mostly on concessional terms, and by bright and predictable revenue prospects due to regulated prices or deficiency payments. This is only what we are asking for our producers: let us apply the recipes accountable for success in the G20 countries.

7.    Developments at the WTO equally remind us that little has actually changed regarding international negotiations on agriculture over the last 10 years. The failure of Doha is an opportunity for us to bounce back positively and in a pragmatic manner to make progress with issues of importance to all developing countries, and African countries in particular. Hence, efforts should be made to conclude early agreements (harvest) in matters concerning vulnerable countries. This should apply also to certain export products that play a central role in the fight against poverty in some parts of Africa. Our countries are in need of stability; that is why the arrangements made since 2004 in the farming agreement need to give birth to concrete measures regarding particularly special safeguard mechanisms or subsidies for specific products.

8.    We are calling for pragmatism in providing support to African farmers by facilitating the purchase of fertilizers through smart subsidies where the market is not running smoothly, for fertilizers to be made available at reasonable prices. We support the idea of an innovative mechanism to finance access to farming inputs and would like the private sector to be involved as a stakeholder. On our part, we are working in this direction and we encourage any initiatives along these lines from our G20 partners.

9.    This gives us the opportunity to recall that the mandate received by the G20 at Seoul envisaged an examination of the issue of increasing the share of supplies on the market for small producers and expanding their access to markets. We hope the G20 will address this issue that involves virtually all Africa’s producers and accounts for the majority of the volumes produced.

10.   Africa has close cooperation and dialogue with the international community and this is improving by the day. Our countries are attached to multilateralism. The reform of FAO that Africa heavily contributed to, mobilized the energies of each and every one of us. We should be confident that this reform will bear fruit. Therefore, in keeping with the mandates conferred on it, we need to emphasize its central role for the benefit of all in the G20 proposals with regard to food markets and food security.

11.  The decision taken by the AU in 2010 at the Kampala summit to set up a development agency under its supervision, namely the NEPAD agency, is evidence that Africans are increasingly equipping themselves with the means to build a common destiny. This year, NEPAD will be 10 years old. It is sustained by facilitating major changes in the different countries working towards their own development. This renewed commitment is certain.  State revenues that are now the main source of development financing account for more than 80% of overall sources of financing in Africa. With growth rates near 7% before the financial crisis, Africa is showing it can become a power to be reckoned with.

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Addis Ababa, 21/5/2011 – The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) will, between the 23rd and 25^th of May 2011, launch the second phase of the  African Science Technology and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) Initiative and the African Innovation Outlook Series . The launch is set to take place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According, to Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency), “investment in science, technology and innovation is increasingly being seen by African countries as an essential element in responding to the continent’s socio-economic development needs and challenges”.

The general objective of NEPAD’s work on ASTII is to build Africa’s capacity to collect, analyze and use STI Indicators ASTII is a programme within the African Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA), which was adopted in 2005 by the African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST) as a framework for responding to the socio-economic challenges facing the continent through the use of science, technology and innovation.

The first phase of the ASTII programme which was coordinated by the NEPAD Agency in close collaboration with the Directorate of Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union Commission (AUC-HRST), ran from 2007 to 2010 and was designed as a learning phase, presenting nineteen African Union member States with the means and the opportunity to engage in mutual learning and sharing in order to improve the measurement of science, technology and innovation.

The participating countries in phase 1 were: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Participating countries conducted Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation surveys – the outcomes of which are captured in the African Innovation Outlook 2010.

“It is in this regard that the African Innovation Outlook 2010 will  be unveiled as the first in a series of reports that are intended to inform the people of Africa and other interested parties about the status of science, technology and innovation activities in African countries”, revealed Dr. Mayaki. Above all, the success of ASTII should hinges on African ownership and strong African commitment to the process.

The Outlook and the second phase of the ASTII initiative will be jointly launched by the AU Commissioner for HRST and the CEO of the NEPAD Agency during the engagements in Addis Ababa. The meeting will among other things reflect on notable achievements of ASTII to date.

This second phase of ASTII will commence this year and it will be open to wider participation from some of the other African Union member states.

Financial and technical resources for ASTII came from the participating countries and also through a grant from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

———————————-

Members of the media are hereby invited to attend the official opening ceremony on the 23^rd of May 2011. Time: 9:00 am to 10:30am at UNECA Conference Room 2.

Speakers will include Ministers, high-level representatives from the AUC, the NEPAD Agency, UNESCO, ASTII Phase 1 Countries and research institutions.

For more information, on the ASTII Programme, contact:

Mrs. Estherine Lisinge FOTABONG: +27 11 256 3627

Media Contact Person: Mr. Gilles Eric FOADEY: +27 83 555 9696

About the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency

The NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) as the technical body of the African Union www.africa-union.org, works closely with the African Union Commission (AUC), regional economic communities, national governments, civil society and the private sector to push for programmes and projects that focus on improving the lives of the African people. The NEPAD Agency is the leading African development expert, able to mobilise the private sector, heads of state and African people as a force for positive change, building continental prosperity and regional integration. For more information, go to: www.nepad.org

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NBF board members join Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki (seated to the right) and Ms. Lynette Chen (seated to the left) at the signing of the MoU

While the NEPAD Agency and the NBF have worked closely since the inception of the NBF in 2004, this agreement marks a new chapter for both organisations, focussing on unlocking the potential for the development of Africa’s private sector. The MOU will enhance business potential within the continent through joint projects by accessing the resources, experience and expertise of both the NEPAD Agency and the NBF.  This formal understanding will focus on building the African private sector to facilitate trade, training, skills development, technology and facilitating public private partnerships (PPPs). The latter is one of the most effective ways to undertake infrastructure development in Africa and a number of countries are exploring these vehicles for development.

The continent has demonstrated a high need for infrastructure development to facilitate inter-African trade and to create a conducive environment for international investment.
“NEPAD provides unique opportunities for African countries to take full control of their development agenda, to work more closely together, and to cooperate more effectively with international partners,” says Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency.

“The NBF and the NEPAD Agency partnership will encourage project implementation and networking of private, public and civil society organisations to accelerate economic development in Africa.   In addition, the NEPAD Agency and the NBF will also promote infrastructure development and regional integration while providing input and support to the continental framework of infrastructure requirements. The concept of development corridors throughout Africa is receiving much needed support from African Heads of State, culminating in President Zuma’s promise to champion Infrastructure development in Africa – focussing specifically on the North South corridor which runs between Durban and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania,” adds Lynette Chen, Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Business Foundation

Both NEPAD and the NBF have a vast store of experience, information and expertise in a variety of relevant fields, in collaboration with like-minded institutions and business communities. This agreement seeks to improve the coordinated development of Africa’s business environment.

“Through the NEPAD Programme, the NEPAD Agency, as the technical development Agency of the African Union, works to improve the lives of families, communities and countries through a range of wealth creation and poverty eradication initiatives that cut across issues of health, agriculture, infrastructure, ICTs, education and other areas of intervention,” says Dr. Mayaki.

“It is in this regard that we welcome this strengthening of partnership with the NBF through the signing of this MOU. We believe that our joint work with the NBF will help us to bring together all the organisations and partners involved in Africa’s private sector – to help them voice their needs and to co-ordinate their work in support of the NEPAD agenda.”

In signing this agreement, both organisations have pledged to continue supporting the development of agriculture and food security in Africa for this sector to become a growth driver for the continent. Jointly the NEPAD Agency and the NBF will work to achieve the agriculture goals as defined by the NEPAD Comprehensive Agriculture Advancement Development Programme (CAADP) _framework, where one of the key issues is to advance mechanisms to integrate smallholder farmers into the commercial value chain and provide access to markets.

“This is an exciting opportunity, as the NBF is currently incubating an innovative project that is developing a model that takes into account the vital role of the small farmer and gaining an understanding of their challenges and constraints and then developing models to create these smallholder farmers into viable entrepreneurial businesses,” says Chen.

Another joint focus of both organisations will work towards the enhancement of human capacity and skills through the NEPAD Africa-wide Capacity Development Strategic Framework (CDSF) and through the NBF African Leadership Programme which concentrates on enhancing capacity and leadership potential of African top managers from the public and private sectors as well as NGOs.

On a practical level, both organisations will aim to create an enabling environment for effective public private partnerships, including the preparation of bankable investment projects and promoting Africa as an investment destination for foreign funds.

“Our joint efforts are based on the consideration that the private sector in Africa can and should take ownership of the development process in Africa,” said Dr. Mayaki.

….

The NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency acts as the technical body of the African Union, primarily facilitating and coordinating the implementation of Africa’s priority programmes and projects at the regional and continental levels. ; Mobilising partners and resources for the implementation of Africa’s priority programmes/projects; conducting research and knowledge management; monitoring and evaluation of programme/project implementation; and advocating core principles and values of the African Union and the NEPAD Framework.

Contacts: Andrew Kanyegirire

Communications Manager, NEPAD Agency

andrewk@nepad.org

+27 (0)11 256 3615 / +27 (0) 83 704 4506

The NBF operates in South Africa with extensive business networks in the Southern African sub-region and the Continent as a whole, driven by the vision to contribute to a vibrant African economy through private sector development, thus positioning the continent as competitive global player. The mission of the NBF is to support the delivery of the NEPAD objectives through the active participation of Africa’s private sector.

Contacts: Hayley Alfers

Marketing and Events Coordinator, NBF

hayley.alfers@thenbf.co.za

+27 (0)87 310 1894

This is a News Release

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