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Follow-up of NEPAD activities during the second half of 2004 and the first half of 2005
October 2004:
“Africa Partnership Forum” held its 3rd meeting in Washington D.C., on October 4,5th 2004. The meeting was attended by Personal Representatives of the Heads of States and Government of countries members of the NEPAD Implementation Committee, and R.E.C’s, G-8 and O.E.C.D leaders as well as regional and international financing institutions.
The meeting primarily focused on supporting Africa’s effort to achieve economic and social development in 3 main areas, namely:
Food Security and Implementation if CAADP, Peace and Security, Promoting the Private Sector’s Role in implementing NEPAD programs.
The African side reiterated Africa's position regarding the urgent need to translate the wide support of development partners to NEPAD into facts on the ground. The upcoming 4th A.P.F. meeting is scheduled to take place in Abuja in April 2005.
November 2004
President Hosni Mubarak has participated in the 12th HSGIC and the 2nd African Peer Review Forum Summit, held in Algiers on 23 November 2004. The meeting reviewed the progress achieved three years after the launching of the initiative, as well as the steps taken to operationalize the A.P.R.M. African leaders reiterated their commitment regarding the “African Ownership” of the mechanism deciding to establish a “trust fund” to finance various activities of the APRM organs.
Egypt has contributed one million USD to the aforementioned fund, a step which was widely praised by the African leaders. Several countries followed suit and contributed to the fund.
It was agreed- upon the invitation extended by President Mubarak- to hold the upcoming HSGIC and APRF Summits in Sharm ElShiekh on April 19, 2005.
December 2004
The Library of Alexandria has hosted from December 14 to December 16, 2004 a North-Africa Regional Meeting, that brought together a cross-section of North Africa society to discuss ideas and opportunities that will lead to the development of a strong and prosperous Africa.
The regional consultation is one of five events organized across the continent by the Commission for Africa and regional partners to assess Africa’s progress and challenges.
Around 100 participants from five North African countries have participated at the impressive library complex. The meeting issued a set of recommendations, aiming at providing the Commission for Africa with priorities for G8 action to promote sustainable development in Africa.
Dr. Youssef Botrus Ghali, Egyptian Minister of Finance gave the keynote address to the conference.
Follow-up of NEPAD activities during the first half of 2005
January:
Egypt has been active in participating in different activities of the E-Africa commission which is responsible for formulating and implementing the NEPAD ITC- program of action. Six Egyptian schools – among 120 schools from 20 African countries – have been selected to launch the NEPAD E-School Project in 2005.
April:
NEPAD 13-th HSGIC Summit, Sharm ElSheikh April 19,2005:
On April 19, 2005 Egypt hosted in Sharm ElSheikh the joint meeting of the 13th Summit of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee and the Third African Peer Review Forum Summit with the participation of 30 African countries.
In his opening speech, President Mubarak reiterated Egypt’s vision regarding the importance of accelerating the implementation process of different NEPAD programs, out of a firm belief in the leadership role of NEPAD in the socio-economic development in Africa.
President Mubarak also pointed out that the responsibility for achieving socio-economic development in Africa lies primarily on Africans themselves. Thus, it is highly important to further enhance South-South cooperation in general and cooperation amongst African countries in particular to achieve this objective.
In this spirit, the President reiterated Egypt’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with African countries, offering all its research, training and rehabilitation institutions to serve this purpose.
The meeting primarily focused on reviewing progress achieved in the implementation of different NEPAD programs of action, in particular with regard to regional economic communities capacity building, consolidating peace and security in Africa as well as recent developments related to operationalization of APRM.
To view the 13 HSGIC Summit communiqué, click here: http://www.nepad.org/2005/files/communiques/finalreport13thHSGICsummit.pdf
2- African First Ladies Round Table, Sharm ElSheikh April 19,2005:
Parallel to Sharm El Sheikh Heads of State and Government Summit, and upon an invitation from the First Lady of Egypt, "Suzanne Mubarak's Women International Peace Movement" held a "round table Meeting" for the African first ladies. The meeting mainly focused on the role of women in consolidating peace in the continent. First ladies also discussed how to establish "practical" and "genuine" partnership involving African women that that aims at achieving this objective.
The meeting also tackled the issue of the dire situation affecting women in some parts of the continent and the role of the movement in addressing this problem.
It was agreed during the meeting to hold a conference for African first ladies in early 2006 to launch an "African women coalition in defense of peace" with the prerogative of addressing problems facing women in Africa.
3- Africa Partnership Forum:
"Africa Partnership Forum" held its 4th meeting in Abuja, on April 9, 10th 2005. the meeting was attended by Personal Representatives of the Heads of State and Government of countries members of the NEPAD Implementation Committee, and R.E.Cs, G-8 and O.E.C.D leaders as well as regional and international financing institutes.
The meeting reviewed the progress achieved in implementing the Kananaskis G-8 Africa Action Plan. The African side pointed out to the modest outcome reached –so far- particularly with regard to the level of support to Africa's programmes in sectors like: infrastructure – trade – agriculture. The meeting welcomed the recommendation tabled in the "Commission of Africa" report, reiterating the need to formulate specific and efficient mechanisms to implement these recommendations.
The meeting also reviewed the study prepared by UN-ECA in cooperation with O.E.C.D on establishing a "mutual review mechanism". The next meeting will be held in London on October 4,5th, 2005.
4-Operationalization of CAADP:
Egypt has hosted "The Regional North- Africa CAADP Implementation Conference", on April 12 and 13th with participation of regional economic communities (Cen/Sad- UMA- COMESA), North African countries as well as the East Nile Basin countries. The meeting aims at formulating a "Road-Map" for the implementation of CAADP, that includes a list of high-priority projects.
June:
In the context of the market access priority within NEPAD, Egypt hosted the AU- African Ministers of Trade Conference which was held in Cairo on June 8 and 9, 2005. the conference issued the "Cairo Declaration" that includes guidelines for a common African position regarding the issues on the agenda of multilateral trade negotiations, which will also be addressed by the next WTO – Ministerial Meeting to be held in Hong Kong in December 2005.
The agenda of the meeting also included important topics such as: Inter/African trade – preferential treatment arrangements- and the need to attract more FDI to enhance economic growth rates.
In preparation of the NEPAD Fish For All Summit, due to be held in Abuja on August 20, 2005 – and in cooperation with The World Fish Center – Egypt hosted on the 27th and 28th of June 2005, a workshop on "Aquaculture". Recommendations of the meeting will be tackled by the technical meeting preceding the summit and reflected in the final declaration of the Summit entitled "Abuja Decleration on African Fisheries and NEPAD" as well as in the NEPAD Plan of Action for investment in support of fisheries and aquaculture development in Africa.
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