8 October 2014
Africa RECs Discuss Role of Agenda 2063 in Development
story highlights

African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) gave a briefing on their role in consolidating peace, security, governance and development in the context of the African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063.

Participants discussed economic progress, challenges across Africa and the region's long-term future.

The Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (OSAA), Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa co-organized the meeting, which took place at UN Headquarters in New York, US, on 1 October 2014.

africanunionlogo1 October 2014: The African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) gave a briefing on their role in consolidating peace, security, governance and development in the context of the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063. Participants discussed economic progress, challenges across Africa and the region’s long-term future. The Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (OSAA), Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa co-organized the meeting, which took place at UN Headquarters in New York, US, on 1 October 2014.

“Agenda 2063 embodies a renewed commitment by Africa’s political leadership to achieving the pan-African vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena,” Maged Abdelaziz, Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on Africa, remarked. He highlighted the role of the annual meetings in raising awareness on the work of the RECs.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson noted “remarkable progress” in Africa, with increases in school attendance, advances on gender equality and women’s empowerment, and rising participatory governance and institutions. But “crises on the continent still threaten lives and undermine development,” he said, and Africa’s economies “have not kept pace with legitimate demands.” Eliasson underscored the need for more jobs, especially for Africa’s youth. Overall, Africa remains off-track to meet many Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), citing inadequate infrastructure, limited trade, and lack of economic diversification, productivity and well-functioning institutions as hindrances. He recommended forging Agenda 2063’s transformative vision around stronger regional integration, particularly for land-locked developing countries (LLDCs), as well as reflecting the Common African Position on the post-2015 development agenda into the post-2015 framework.

The Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU is expected to adopt Agenda 2063 in January 2015. [UN Press Release] [UN Deputy Secretary-General Remarks] [Event Flyer] [Agenda 2063 Website]

related posts