ECA and AUDA-NEPAD renew their partnership to strengthen sustainable growth in Africa

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership and their collaboration to accelerate the achievement of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Signed at the African Union office in New York on September 27, the MoU aims to harness the synergies arising from the organizations’ mandates and establish the non-binding and non-exclusive arrangements necessary to ensure effective cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Vera Songwe, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ECA, said the MoU shows how much the two organizations can come together and raise their ambitions to achieve what needs to be done regarding Africa’s Transformation Agenda 2063 and sustainable development. 2030 Development Agenda.

“Our collaboration will advance Africa’s agenda, especially in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in which we all believe,” Ms. Songwe said.

“We have done well in advocacy in the areas of sustainable energy, climate change, industrialization, digitization and health security. But we need to do better when it comes to funding. More advocacy is needed for more funding as we prepare for COP26. “

The objectives of this MoU are to implement the joint work program for the period 2021-2023 in six main priority areas of their respective mandates and functions; building resilience for sustainable development in Africa in accordance with Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030; explore any strategic initiatives that may not be part of the current mandate but justified by the importance of unforeseen events in accordance with the six major priority areas.

Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Director General of AUDA-NEPAD, said: “The signing of the MoU shows a high level of credibility on the continent’s development issues, especially in the priority areas of the 2030 and 2063 agendas. .

The MoU, he said, “will be a living document that will allow for deeper cooperation between ECA and NEPAD – AUDA teams to work together, especially since the six areas of cooperation identified in the MoU are consistent with what the two organizations have done together. . “

The operationalization of this MoU will be guided by the pursuit of a common vision of the African Union through the implementation of Agenda 2063 in concert with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Areas of cooperation under the MoU include, among others; Climate resilience and governance, environmental sustainability and natural resource management; Sustainable Energy, Energy-Water-Food Nexus and Empowerment of Rural Communities; Knowledge management and assessment, and human and institutional development; Science, technology and innovation; Economic integration, macroeconomics and governance policy; Creation of wealth – Industrialization.

A previous memorandum of understanding signed with ECA at the time of the then NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) entered into force in October 2014 for three years, with the possibility of a two-year extension. The same will apply to the new memorandum of understanding.