25 October 2013: The UN highlighted progress in implementing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), an African-led development and growth initiative, and in monitoring governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), during events and celebrations for the 2013 ‘Africa Week.’ Participants also discussed ways to reflect African priorities in the post-2015 development agenda. Africa Week took place from 21-25 October 2013, in New York, US.
Opening a High Level Panel on ‘Africa’s innovation in governance through 10 years of the APRM,’ UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the APRM for deepening “democratic political culture among African Governments,” but stressed that “the APRM points to the critical need to halt unconstitutional changes in Government.” Ban commended 17 countries for completing APRM self-assessments, and said the process identified areas for improvement, including the need for managing natural resources, addressing youth unemployment, tackling organized crime and terrorism, stopping corruption and ending xenophobia. NEPAD established the APRM to, inter alia, foster practices and policies for attaining sustainable development, high economic growth, political stability and continental and sub-regional economic integration.
Noting that most African countries remain off-track on meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and face emerging challenges such as climate change, population growth and youth unemployment, Maged Abdelaziz, UN Special Adviser on Africa, recommended reflecting Africa’s needs and priorities in the post-2015 development agenda and as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In an address on ‘Promoting African Renaissance through Post-2015,’ Ibrahim Mayaki, African Union (AU) CEO, described NEPAD as Africa’s “comprehensive and integrated” approach to eradicating poverty. He said the post-2015 agenda should complete the unfinished business of the MDGs and “support Africa’s transition on its own terms, ” including by prioritizing agriculture, food security and nutrition; environmental sustainability; inclusive growth; and infrastructure.
Delegates called for the international community to deliver on commitments to support Africa’s development at the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) General Debate on Africa, which took place on 25 October. Delegates also, inter alia: recommended strengthened cooperation and partnerships to achieve the MDGs and formulate the post-2015 agenda; and commended NEPAD’s successes.
Africa Week coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity, now the AU, and the 10th Anniversary of the APRM. The UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), APRM, NEPAD and the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) co-organized Africa Week. [Africa Week Website] [Africa Week Programme] [UN Press Release] [Statement of UN Secretary-General] [Abdelaziz Statement] [UN Press Release on UNGA Debate] [NEPAD Press Release]