4 March 2014
Common African Position on Post-2015 Agenda Launched
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The African Union (AU) High Level Committee of Heads of State and Governments on the Post-2015 Development Agenda has launched the Common African Position (CAP) and adopted the N'Djamena Declaration on the CAP.

The launch took place on 28 February 2014, in Ndjamena, Chad, following adoption of the CAP by the AU Heads of States and Government on 31 January 2014.

UNECA AU3 March 2014: The African Union (AU) High Level Committee of Heads of State and Governments on the Post-2015 Development Agenda has launched the Common African Position (CAP) and adopted the N’Djamena Declaration on the CAP. The launch took place on 28 February 2014, in Ndjamena, Chad, following adoption of the CAP by the AU Heads of States and Government on 31 January 2014.

The N’Djamena Declaration recognizes that Africa will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and highlights the CAP as the result of regional and continental consultations conducted over the past two years.

Africa’s priorities for the post-2015 agenda are presented under six pillars: environmental sustainability, natural resources management and risk management of natural disasters; finance and partnership; human-centered development; peace and security; science, technology and innovation; and structural economic transformation and inclusive growth. Under structural economic transformation and inclusive growth, the Declaration highlights commitments related to agriculture, food security and nutrition, green growth, infrastructure and information and communications technology (ICT). The Declaration also discusses, inter alia, poverty eradication, education, health care, gender and women’s empowerment, water management and disaster risk reduction (DRR).

During the launch meeting, Carlos Lopes, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Executive Secretary, identified African challenges that need to be addressed in the post-2015 agenda, inter alia: effective measurements to monitor development progress; investments in statistical data collection; and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR). Although the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said, already “included most of Africa’s interest due to African leadership and ownership,” Lopes urged maintaining and enhancing African leadership to ensure a unified African voice in the post-2015 agenda.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and Committee Chair, urged all Africans to take full ownership of the CAP, noting that the challenge remains to transform the CAP’s priority pillars into action. [UNECA Press Release] [Congo Basin Forest Partnership Press Release] [AU Press Release] [AU Press Release on Sherpas Meeting] [Government of Liberia Press Release] [IISD RS Story on Adoption of Common Position] [IISD RS Sources] [Common African Position on the Post- 2015 Development Agenda]

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