NEPAD: Communiqué Issued at the End of the Fifth Summit of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSIC), Abuja, 3 November 2002

At the invitation of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSIC) of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Fifth Summit of the HSIC was held in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday, 3^rd November 2002.

2. The following dignitaries attended the Summit:

(i) His Excellency, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria;

(ii) His Excellency, Mr. Festus G. Mogae, President, Republic of Botswana;

(iv) His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria;

(v) His Excellency, Mr. Paul Kagame, President, Republic of Rwanda;

(vi) His Excellency, Mr. Abdoulaye Wade, President, Republic of Senegal;

(vii) His Excellency, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, President, Republic of South Africa;

(viii) His Excellency, Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;

(ix) His Excellency, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice-President, Republic of Ghana;

(x) His Excellency, Mr. E. Ondo-Methogo, Deputy Prime Minister, Republic of Gabon;

(xi) His Excellency, Mr. Georges Chicoti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Angola;

(xii) His Excellency, Mr. Ahmed Maher El-Sayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arab Republic of Egypt;

(xiii) Honourable Mr. Anil Kurmarsingh Gayan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Mauritius;

(xiv) Honourable Mr. Gerald Ssendaula, Minister of Finance, Planning & Economic Development, Republic of Uganda;

(xv) His Excellency, Mr. Oumar Hamadoun Dicko, Minister of African Integration, Republic of Mali;

(xvi) Honourable Mr. Pierre Moussa, Minister of Planning, Republic of the Congo;

(xvii) Honourable, Mr. Justin Ndioro, Minister of Special Duties and Leader of Delegation, Republic of Cameroon;

(xviii) His Excellency, Mr. Youssef Mokaddem, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Maghreb and Africa Affairs, Republic of Tunisia;

(xix) His Excellency, Mr. Amara Essy, Interim Chairman, Commission of the African Union; and

(xx) Dr. Anna Kajamula Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary-General & Executive Director, UN-HABITAT

3. The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) namely, CEN-SAD, COMESA, ECCAS, ECOWAS and SADC also participated and presented papers on their roles in the implementation of NEPAD programmes and projects at sub-regional level, in light of their status as building blocs in the integration of the continent. The UNECA and the ADB were represented by their officials.

4. In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Committee, President Olusegun Obasanjo, emphasized three major issues which should form the focus of the Summit. One was the issue of implementation of the NEPAD Programme of Action adopted by the African Union at its inaugural Summit in Durban, South Africa last July. Second was the imperative of peace and security as the bedrock of sustainable development in Africa; and third, the proposed African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

5. President Obasanjo stressed that the immediate challenge was to ensure that the momentum that characterized NEPAD at the conception stage was carried through to the implementation phase. He urged member-states to integrate NEPAD into their national development programmes for effective implementation at national and sub-regional levels.

6. On the issue of Peace and Security, the Chairman called for the speedy end to the conflicts in all parts of Africa. He decried the recent eruption of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Côte d’Ivoire, and urged all the parties to the conflicts to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace and national reconciliation in the on-going peace talks in Lome, Togo. He further charged the Summit to deliberate on ways and means of promoting dialogue and a negotiated settlement to the conflict in the CAR.

7. With respect to the African Peer Review Mechanism, President Obasanjo explained that the process was designed to enable the present corps of African leaders, in cooperation with the development partners, to make a major difference to the character of governance in Africa. He expressed the conviction that, once the mechanism becomes fully operational, Africa would have taken one giant step towards controlling its own destiny.

Conflict Situations in Africa

8. Consistent with the objectives of NEPAD, the HSIC reiterated its strong conviction that peace and security were crucial to the promotion of economic and social development in Africa. It emphasized its avowed commitment to the implementation of the Peace and Security Initiative of NEPAD.

9. The Summit was, therefore, briefed by Mr. Amara Essy, the Interim Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, on the conflict areas of Africa notably Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, Angola, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic (CAR). The briefing was further complemented by Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Abdoulaye Wade. While expressing appreciation for the briefing, which was described as necessary and useful, the HSIC noted with satisfaction the progress recorded in the peace processes in the DRC, Burundi, Angola and the Sudan. It, however, expressed deep concern at the recent eruption of fighting in Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi and the CAR, and called on all parties to the conflicts in Africa to embark on the path of peace, unity and national reconciliation.

Report of the Chairman of NEPAD Steering Committee

10. The HSIC considered and adopted the Report of the Chairman of the NEPAD Steering Committee, covering the period July to October 2002. It noted, with deep appreciation, the interest demonstrated in NEPAD, both within Africa and in the international community, especially the G8, the United Nations and other Development partners. It, however, expressed the hope that this momentum would be sustained and carried through to the crucial stage of implementation. As NEPAD enters this important stage, the Summit reaffirmed its determination to ensure that the Programme of Action of NEPAD was fully implemented and commitments under it fulfilled.

11. The following specific directives were given with respect to the Report of the Chairman of the NEPAD Steering Committee:

a. Approval of Priorities and Strategies identified in the Report as areas of focus for the next one to three years, in line with the Programme of Action of NEPAD.

b. NEPAD Secretariat to seek, through the African Union, copyright and trade mark protection for NEPAD’s name and logo, which would not necessarily confer parallel legal status on NEPAD, since it is not a separate organization from the African Union.

c. The relationship between the AU and the NEPAD Secretariat should henceforth be characterized by closer coordination, cooperation and collaboration. NEPAD Secretariat is to be regarded as an interim arrangement, especially to service the HSIC, pending the completion of the transition processes at the African Union.

d. Pending the eventual take-over of NEPAD by the African Union structures, African countries and Development partners should continue to make financial and other contributions to support the NEPAD Secretariat to enable it to discharge its mandate.

e. At the appropriate time in the future, NEPAD should be fully integrated into the AU structures and processes.

f. The HSIC noted the Reports on the Inter-Academy Council, the e-Africa Commission and the African Achievement Award to NEPAD by the African Times.

The Conference on the African Business Opportunity in the New NEPAD Era, Lugano, Switzerland, 12 October 2002

12. The HSIC noted with satisfaction the outcome of the Conference on African Business Opportunity in the New NEPAD Era, held in Lugano, Switzerland, on 12 October 2002. While thanking the organizers of this Conference, including the offer from the Municipality of Lugano to host a NEPAD European Office, it mandated Senegal to examine the offer and make appropriate recommendations for further consideration.

African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

14. The HSIC called on the AU to establish a mechanism and, where necessary, develop capacity through which the implementation of its decisions can be monitored. However, since this process will take some time before it is realized, the HSIC has decided to implement the APRM through the NEPAD Secretariat for coordination and administration, under the supervision of the Panel of Eminent Persons, as a transitional arrangement.

15. The HSIC emphasised the fact that, while the accession to the APRM is voluntary, compliance with all decisions of the African Union by Member States is obligatory.

16. Pending the ultimate integration of the APRM with the African Union, the HSIC recommends that the specialized commissions, units or organs of the AU responsible for democracy, political governance and human rights be tasked to conduct technical assessments for the APRM.

17. The primary objective of the APRM is for African countries to learn from each other and create constituencies within the continent and abroad for its shared vision and approaches to socio-economic development and political transformation. The HSIC directed the NEPAD Secretariat to develop detailed criteria and indicators for the APRM that should entail, amongst others, popular participation in development, including trade unions, womens groups, the youth, civil society, private sector, rural communities and professional associations.

18. In the spirit of mutual responsibility and accountability that is embedded in NEPAD, the HSIC underscored the need for mutual review of development partners in terms of their commitments to Africa. The ECA and OECD should urgently conclude work on the institutional framework for this review.

19. After extensive deliberations on the operationalisation of the APRM, the HSIC took the following decisions:

1. The NEPAD Secretariat should design and finalise the accession process to the APRM by the end of January 2003; and
2. The NEPAD Secretariat should develop detailed criteria and indicators for measuring performance on political and economic governance for further consideration at the next HSIC meeting scheduled for February 2003.

Working Arrangements with the UN System

21. The Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNECA briefed the HSIC on the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 19-20 October and on the UN Inter-Agency Regional meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 19-21 October 2002. The HSIC noted with satisfaction the working arrangements being developed with the United Nations and its Agencies and expressed appreciation to the UN System for its support and endorsement of NEPAD. It further noted with gratitude the UNDP Support Facility and strongly urged that the co-operation with the UN system be intensified to facilitate the implementation of the NEPAD Programme of Action.

Role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs)

22. The Committee observed that, in line with the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the RECs are essential building blocks for the integration and economic development of Africa. In this connection, it recognized that RECs have a key role to play in the implementation of NEPAD programmes and projects. It applauded the various Summits and Workshops organized by RECs in the various sub-regions, to identify their roles in the implementation of NEPAD. In this connection, the RECs were called upon to play a leading role in the implementation of infrastructure projects at sub-regional level. The NEPAD Secretariat was urged to continue on-going consultation with all RECs in this regard.

23. The Vice-President of the African Development Bank, in his address to the Summit, offered his organisation’s continued support for NEPAD. Apart from financing seventeen (17) projects to the sum of US$200 million, the Bank has undertaken to assist in the implementation of the NEPAD short-term infrastructure plan by deploying a dedicated team of experts within the Bank and by seconding an infrastructure expert to the NEPAD Secretariat.

24. The Under Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN-HABITAT also addressed the meeting. In her Statement, she stressed that the issues of adequate shelter and sustainable settlement deserve greater attention in NEPAD. She pledged the willingness of her organization to enter into constructive partnership with NEPAD to reduce the negative impact of urbanization in Africa and promote sustainable development in line with its Cities Without Slums Initiative.

Appreciation

25. The HSIC expressed its profound appreciation to President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Government and people of Nigeria for their hospitality and excellent facilities put at the disposal of delegates, which ensured the success of the Meeting.

26. The Committee also expressed its gratitude to the UNECA, ADB and lead agencies for their continued technical support to the NEPAD process. It urged them to continue with this support as the process moves to the implementation phase.

Date and Venue of the Next Summit

27. The HSIC decided that its next meeting would be held in February 2003, at a venue to be determined.

Done at Abuja, this 3^rd Day of November 2002