UN agencies come together to support NEPAD

Addis Ababa, 20 November - UN agencies met in Addis Ababa last week to formulate ways of working jointly in a bid to support the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

The meeting also included representatives of the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Secretariat. They agreed to coordinate action for Africa's development, in accordance with a “cluster system” grouping specialized agencies together.

“This meeting is a bold attempt to resuscitate the UN cluster system, and to give direction to the joint work of the agencies with regard to NEPAD,” said Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under Secretary General and ECA Executive Secretary.

The cluster system means that development programming for Africa can be better streamlined in accordance with AU priorities.

“This meeting will give the system more focus, and has also emphasized to the UN system the need to optimize our work in Africa, aligning it with NEPAD and AU priorities,” said Janneh, who chaired the meeting.

There are now nine clusters in total, including governance , agriculture , food security , infrastructure development , and science and technology . In this way production and the international market to health and nuc lear energy , full advantage can be taken of the competencies of each UN agency.

As a convener of the different agencies working in support of NEPAD , ECA will host the UN/Nepad secretariat of the regional consultation mechanism . It will also act as an agent for crosscutting issues, and monitor programme alignment duplication so as to streamline resources for development.

The AU expressed appreciation with efforts to boost the resources for Africa's development. “As each partner defines their role in an organized manner, our self-confidence and belief in ourselves increases,” said Elizabeth Tankeu, AU Trade and Industry Commissioner.

In addition to the AU and NEPAD, at least 20 UN agencies and departments attended the meeting.