7 October 2011: The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) celebrated its 10th anniversary at a high-level event hosted at UN Headquarters in New York, US, on 7 October 2011. The event highlighted the achievements of the African-developed and African-led programme for inclusive development in the region, including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

Speaking at the event, Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), said that NEPAD’s priorities echo those of the UN Millennium Declaration, namely poverty eradication, sustainable growth and empowering women. He called for strengthening partnerships with NEPAD and looking beyond aid to countries. Al-Nasser noted that the African Peer Review Mechanism, under NEPAD, has helped improve good governance, aiding in creating an attractive, enabling environment conducive to sustainable and broad-based economic growth.

The event underscored that the initiative has enhanced economic growth, development and participation in the global economic across the continent, with positive gains including scaled up investments in food security, education, health and agriculture. Asha-Rose Migiro, UN Deputy Secretary-General, noted that much of the growth may have been unequal and that further work and collaboration was needed, in particular with the African Union (AU). Cheick Sidi Diarra, UN Special Adviser on Africa, said that governance on the continent was improving and that the many opportunities becoming available are making for an optimistic future. [Statement of UNGA President] [Statement of Deputy Secretary-General] [NEPAD Webpage for Event]