Economic Commission for Africa
Dialogue of the Executive Secretaries of the UN Regional Commissions with
The Second Committee of the General Assembly
“Inter-regional cooperation: An enabler for the Post Inter-regional cooperation: An enabler for the Post 2015 Development Agenda2015 Development Agenda”
Aida Opoku-Mensah Special Advisor: Post-2015 Development Agenda
Office of the Executive Secretary
31st October 2013, New York
Background: African Priorities
Noting Noting slow progress by African countries towards the MDGs
RecognisingRecognising the capacity deficits and disabling initial
conditions prevailing in a number of countries
Imperative that the post-2015 agenda have
an African footprint!an African footprint!
ECA & Partners played a key strategic role in the African Common Position on Post 2015 Agenda
Background: African Priorities
Common agreement that the post-2015 development agenda should:
1. Emphasise inclusive economic growth and structural transformation
2. Re-orient the development paradigm away from externally-driven initiatives toward domestically-inspired and funded initiatives that are grounded in national ownership
3. Prioritise equity and social inclusion and measure progress in terms of both the availability and quality of service delivery
4. Pay greater attention to vulnerable groups such as women, children, youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, displaced persons
5. Take into account the initial conditions of nation states and recognise efforts countries have made towards achieving the goals as opposed to exclusively measuring how far they fall short of global targets
6. Incorporate the Rio+20 outcomes and the outcomes of Africa-wide initiatives, national and regional consultations as well as UN forums such as ICPD +20
7.7. Focus on development enablers Focus on development enablers as well as development outcomes
Background: African Consultations & Common Position
The post-2015 consultations reinforced during the AU Heads of State Summit in July 2012
African leaders mandated AUC, ECA, AfDB and UNDP to develop an African common position
The regional consultations on the post-2015 development agenda aimed to
Identify Africa’s priorities for the post 2015 agenda Identify enablers and critical success factors for the post 2015
devt agenda Align the post-2015 priorities with other development
programmes and agendas including Rio+20 and NEPAD; and Determine the next steps of the consultation process.
Outcome statement summarises views from stakeholders from a total of 53 African countries, represented by governments, Regional Economic
Communities, civil society organisations including youth and women’s organisations, parliamentarians, academic institutions and the private sector
Post 2015 in Africa: High Level Committee (HLC) of African Heads of States
Established by AUC Heads of State in May 2013 to Sensitise and coordinate the activities of African leaders and Build regional and inter-continental alliances on the African
Common Position on the post 2015 Development Agenda. Appointed Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
as the chair of HLC Comprises two Heads of State and Government per region:
South Africa, Namibia, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Liberia, Guinea, Algeria, Mauritania, Chad, Congo
The High Level Committee was requested to further synthesize, and even further consult to finalize the
African Common Position and ensure that the priorities identified in the said African Common Position are integrated in the New Global Agenda
Sherpas of High Level Committee met in Addis 28-29 Oct 2013 Finalise African Common Position
Statement by President Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia addressing the HLC Heads of State meeting on September 23rd 2013, New York
“As we prepare our Common Position, we must be aware of what other regions – far advanced in their work – have put together. We must look at how their priorities affect us and how our priorities align or go contrary to theirs. This will require consultations and negotiations not only amongst ourselves, but also at the global level”
“We need to ensure that we continue to preserve the principles of economic, social and environmental emphasis such that the Common Position, already formulated by our institutions, can be, once again, looked at to make sure that it is a general consensus among our positions. We also need to promote South-South cooperation”
Potential of South-South cooperation: Enabler for Post 2015 Agenda
1.STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH Priority area Related actions, indicators and sub-
priorities Inclusive growth that reduces inequality
Accelerate the rate of growth and diversify the sources growth
Prioritize people-centered growth Reduce inequality Create decent work and full productive
employment Promote rural development Invest in fiscally sustainable social
protection programmes Support measures towards transition to
green economy Sustainable agriculture, food self-sufficiency and nutrition
Improved food production, availability, accessibility, utilization, safety and quality
Agriculture modernization and diversification of agricultural sectors
Agri-business development Agro-industry linkages Integration of small farm holders,
including women, into agri-business value chains
Potential of South-South cooperation: Enabler for Post 2015 Agenda
2.SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Priority area Related actions, indicators and strategies Enhanced technological capacities for structural transformation
Enhancing development, transfer and diffusion of technology and innovation in line with each country’s development needs
Improving access to funding for home grown technological innovation
Strengthening science and technology component of education curricula
Enabling environment Creating an enabling financial and regulatory environment to support innovation culture
Strengthening and creating where needed African property rights institutions, protect intellectual property and industrial rights
Increasing funding for science and technology research, innovation and research and development
Collaboration among African countries on science and technology for development
Potential of South-South cooperation: Enabler for Post 2015 Agenda
3. FINANCING AND PARTNERSHIPS Priority area Related actions, indicators and strategies Mutually beneficial partnerships Ensuring ownership, coherence and
alignment of international support for national and regional priorities
Working with partners to develop financing frameworks that take into account Africa’s peculiarities and priorities
Promoting public-private partnerships Strengthening South-South cooperation,
North-South cooperation, and diaspora cooperation
Supporting Intra- Africa cooperation, including solidarity
Support to countries in special situations Ensuring that the global governance
architecture promotes ownership, reliability, equality of States, leadership and accountability
Partnership to promote international Peace and security
Autonomy and independence of countries to advance alternative policies for
Regional & sub-regional efforts to promote inter-regional cooperation
HLC will be key political mechanism to promote sub regional and
regional cooperation through the auspices of the African Union
ECA, African Development Bank, UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa
key actors in African consultations and Common Position
Potential to share with other regions on knowledge, experience and activities at national and regional
levels
Creation of knowledge base on Post 2015 trends and activities
ECA’s Catalytic Role in support of Post 2015
Technical back-stopping to the HLC’s Secretariat at AUC
Support to member States on negotiating the African Common Position
Available to promote inter-regional cooperation with other Regional Commissions through the HLC & other regional organisations
Economic Commission for Africa
Thank-you for your attention !Thank-you for your attention !www.uneca.org/post2015Twitter: @Post2015AfricaTwitter: @Post2015Africa
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