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THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM-WIDE SPECIAL INITIATIVE ON AFRICA
REPORT OF FOURTH MEETING OF THE ACC STEERING
COMMITTEE
Special Initiative on Africa
I. Designation, Role, and Functions of Lead and Cooperating
Agencies
Discussions among the twenty participants reflected expressions of interest by a number of UN agencies' representatives, along the positions taken at an earlier stage during the meeting of the Organizational Committee of the ACC (OC/ACC) and recommendations of the meeting, as well as letters to the Secretariat, to reach agreement on the role of lead and cooperating agencies and the regrouping of some priority components of the UN System-wide Special Initiative on Africa. Accordingly, the Steering Committee agreed that lead and cooperating agencies should decide on the appropriate roles and arrangements within their various groups, as well as the clustering of priority components (Water 1-4; Food Security 5-7; Governance 8-10), as reflected in Annex I of this report.
II. Status of Implementation Arrangements
A. Progress
Reports from the various participants demonstrated extensive consultation among lead and cooperating agencies since the launch of the Special Initiative on 15 March. Illustrations of these consultations are as follows:
i) With respect to the group dealing with priorities in water, of which, UNEP and the World Bank are lead agencies, it was decided this group will meet twice per year, the next meeting planned for September 1996, to examine the priorities, agree on budgets, timetables and division of responsibilities. In this context, UNEP has been given responsibility for coordination of information and preparation of a databank. The Special Initiative was accepted as the coordinating framework for activities in this sector. Several meetings have already taken place and in the planning of future meetings prominence will be given to the Special Initiative:
- UNEP-sponsored African Group meeting on Agenda 21 Social Equity and Environmental Efficiency;
- World Bank workshops in East and West Africa which had 200 participants from 40 countries;
- WHO meeting on Water and Sanitation in Brazzaville;
- WMO/ECA World Hydrological Cycle on Global Water Assessment;
- UNICEF Africa Working Group on Water and Sanitation.
ii) As the lead agency for food security, FAO informed the Steering Committee of briefing sessions with IFAD and WFP in connection with the 15 March launch and of plans for future collaboration. FAO is currently implementing a feasibility study to determine the investment requirements for food security in the context of the Food Summit and the Special Initiative. An Inventory of on-going programmes and projects is being prepared by the UN agencies in this group, to agree on joint work programmes and an electronic conference is planned for May 1996. Taking account of the overlapping activities between food security and water, FAO requested to be kept informed of developments in the latter sector.
iii) In governance, both UNDP and ECA reported on progress. UNDP informed the meeting that a concept paper had recently been completed and will be circulated to the cooperating agencies in this category, requesting an inventory of ongoing activities. Over the next six months extensive consultations will be undertaken with African Governments, civil society and donors, to asses the experience of national, sub-regional and regional institutions and to agree on appropriate resource mobilization strategies. ECA focussed on capacity building with special reference to civil society, reference being make to a resource fund to strengthen NGOs, three sub-regional centres in peace building, conflict resolution and mediation in the Horn, Southern and West Africa, in collaboration with the OAU. Collaboration between UNESCO and OAU on the culture of peace, UNICEF support to OAU in peace-building and conflict resolution and the UN-DPCSD reference to the need to provide consultative status and accreditation to many African NGOs, were evidence of the extensive interest of a number of UN agencies in this component.
iv) As the lead agency for harnessing information technology for development, ECA called attention to the upcoming African ministerial meting on information, which will consider the development of national communication and information structures within each African country, aiming at integrated mechanisms to stimulate more effective cooperation and involvement with donors and report to the African Planning Ministers meeting in May 1996. The goals of those consultations are to improve human, information and technological resources, as well as managerial practices. UNESCO pointed to plans of action under preparation involving the World Bank, UNCTAD and ITU, to be approved by the forthcoming Information Society for Development meeting in the Republic of South Africa. The need for further consultation between ECA and various cooperating agencies was recognized.
v) ECA, the lead agency in south-south cooperation, referred to the offer by non-African regional organizations to collaborate in this sector. Reports on consultations with China, Indonesia and Japan were also heard by the Steering Committee.
vi) Both World Bank and UNESCO signaled significant progress in developing priority actions for basic education for all African children, including a review of ongoing programmes, ministerial coordination, the work of DAE, the regional forum, and a report on the meeting of the ad-hoc Committee in Abidjan 25-26 April.
vii) In health sector reform, WHO pointed to the comprehensive coverage by the African Regional Offices (AFRO), and the February 1996 meeting to which all cooperating agencies were invited. At a previous meeting in September 1995, the lead role of African Governments in the health sector reform was stressed. The next meeting planned for July 1996 will address the population issue fully, recognizing that it is fundamental to the problems of Africa. UNFPA confirmed that it will participate in the July meeting in order to give prominence to reproductive health in the Special Initiative. In that context, UNFPA called attention to the linkages between population and many priorities listed in this Initiative such as food security, education and water.
viii) With respect to poverty reduction through the promotion of the informal sector and employment generating opportunities, ECA indicated that a paper will be prepared to clarify a number of issues on which basis cooperating agencies will meet within three months to harmonize policies. ILO, the other lead agency suggested that vocational training is part of basic education and therefore should be clearly stated. UN/DPCSD reminded the meeting of the establishment of an international task force including the UN, bilaterals, African Governments and NGOs, which is considering a pilot programme for the informal sector. UNESCO sought clarification regarding an informal sector meeting planned in New York 23-26 April that was announced by UN/DPCSD. UNIDO referred to the Alliance for African Industralization as an important informal sector instrument.
ix) For sustainable livelihoods in environmentally marginal areas, UNDP stressed the importance of actions in support of the informal sector which is predominant in these areas.
x) IMF briefed the meeting on work already being carried out in collaboration with the World Bank on substantial debt relief, with reporting on a six-monthly basis to the ACC. In response to expressions of interest for involvement and sharing of information, the Steering Committee agreed that UNDP and UNICEF should be fully associated with this sector.
xi) World Bank and UNDP are the lead agencies in partnership innovations for effective development cooperation and discussions focused on expected results of the upcoming SPA IV meeting, scheduled for 3-6 June, and World Bank monitoring of sector investment programmes. FAO suggested that sectoral agencies should be involved in setting funding priorities in Consultative Groups and Round Tables, while ILO stressed the need for involvement of civil society. UNDP reminded the meeting of private sector and NGO participation in Round Tables for Angola and Namibia.
xii) With respect to trade access and opportunities, the Steering Committee agreed to include ICAO as a member of this ground and UNDP reminded the meeting of preliminary work already carried out with UNCTAD and the need to have follow-up discussions in an African forum. ECA indicated that the African meeting on trade was expected to reach a common position during UNCTAD IX.
xiii) ECA indicated that much work needs to be done in this sector.
B. Future
A number of issues which arose during presentation of the implementation reports set the tone for future work of the lead and cooperating agencies. The Steering Committee agreed that gender should be mainstreamed throughout the priorities of the Special Initiative and not restricted to Food Security. Similarly, Reproductive Health will be given prominence in health sector reform and future reports will reflect this development. While there was a call for the development of a common format or approach on implementation the Committee recognized that requirements may vary according to sectors. However, it was agreed that to the extent possible existing mechanisms should be utilized to avoid duplication.
The Steering Committee proposed a three-month deadline for submission of implementation plans to the Secretariat of the Steering Committee. Such plans should:
- Define the various elements;
- Provide information on assignment of roles between lead and cooperation agencies;
- Specify cost implications of the components and resource mobilization strategies;
- Identify partnership arrangements at the country level, including Government, civil society, the UN and donors; and
- Build in success/performance criteria to be monitored and evaluated.
III. Political and resource mobilization strategy
The Steering Committee acknowledged that ownership of the Special Initiative by African Governments and civil society is the most important element in political mobilization. The meeting recalled that the priorities of the Initiative are the same as those adopted in the Cairo Agenda by the African Heads of State and Government. Leadership by the African Heads of State demonstrated during the 15 March launch was exemplary and should be fully exploited, ensuring that the Special Initiative becomes a credible framework for development in selected priority sectors. It was recognized however, that successful political mobilization also depends on consistent advocacy and effective implementation of the Initiative, in terms of programme content at country level and coherence within the UN system. Synergistic links between political mobilization and performance will undoubtedly reinforce the credibility of the Initiative.
To ensure that the Initiative is given prominence in various international donor fora, the Steering Committee identified specific opportunities for advocacy, such as the upcoming G-7 meeting in Lyon, Tidewater in Quebec City, and the DAC High-level meeting in Paris. At the same time, in order to sustain UN system focus and support for the Initiative, it was recommended that a comprehensive schedule of international meetings be prepared within the framework of the United Nations. Accordingly, the Initiative should be placed on the agenda of all relevant United Nations meetings and conferences, for example, Governing Boards of agencies, the next ECOSOC and General Assembly sessions, at HABITAT II, the FAO Food Summit and regional consultations. The Steering Committee also invited all agencies to provide the Secretariat with information regarding schedule of upcoming meetings in which the Initiative will be discussed. Similarly, copy of agencies respective Board resolutions in support of the Initiative should be sent to the Secretariat as they will be useful for the political mobilization.
During the deliberations a number of issues arose on which the Steering Committee sought to reach common understandings to enhance clarity and reinforce commitment. These issues, originally raised during the launch, questioned the relevance and special nature of the Initiative in light of previous UN interventions in Africa, the relationship to UN-NADAF, as well as the composition and additionality factor of the $25 billion price tag.
With respect to UN-NADAF, the Steering Committee agreed that the Special gives a new impetus to the earlier compact by setting out programmatic and operational actions. There is every expectation that collaboration between the Secretariats in support of both initiatives will be pursued.
The $25 billion figure represents the external resource requirements for those components of the Initiative for which estimates have already been prepared. Of this amount, four major components namely, education, health, water and governance, account for over 95 percent of total external requirements. These requirements will undoubtedly be larger once the scope of some components, such as food security, is factored as a holistic programme. Also, it should be noted that work at the country level in full partnership between Governments and donors supported by the Resident Coordinator in collaboration with the UN country team, would led to further adjustments in the estimated resource requirements. Financing of the Initiative's priorities will come both from reallocation of existing budgets and some additionality. The precise balance will depend upon the process of rationalization of programmes and budgets and the degree of success achieved in the mobilization of political commitment and support for financing the Initiative. In this context, attention will need to be paid to necessary modifications of various mechanisms such as the Special Programme on Africa (SPA), regional fora and those that operate at country level i.e., Consultative Groups and Round Tables.
IV. Coordination of the UN System At Country Level
The approval of the Special Initiative provides and excellent opportunity for the UN system to demonstrate vision and coherence in identified programme priorities in Africa. The Steering Committee recognized that effective implementation will depend on the ability of the UN system to translate goals of the Initiative into practical interventions at the country level. Consistent with existing General Assembly legislation, adopted by the Governing Boards of ACC member institutions, the support of the UN Resident Coordinator to African Governments in carrying out assessments of existing commitments and earmarkings to priority programmes of the Initiative becomes critical. Working closely with the UN country team and the donor community, the Resident Coordinator should support inventorying of programmes within the priorities of the Initiatives. The Steering Committee recognized that instruments such as the Country Strategy Note (CSN) provided useful programme framework linking the priority of the Initiative to policy and programme frameworks at country levels. Having been informed that approximately eight Country Strategy Notes have already been prepared, the Steering Committee urged that attention be focused on that instrument for purposes of the Initiative.
V. Plans for Backstopping the Special Initiative
a) Steering Committee
Reflecting decisions reached at earlier sessions of the Steering Committee, the fourth meeting confirmed that membership could be extended to include all UN agencies and organizations represented on the ACC. The Steering Committee will continue to function in policy coordination, with specific reference to political and resource mobilization, ensuring that implementation progress is effectively monitored and evaluated in the context of outputs and attainable targets.
The next meeting of the Steering Committee will be scheduled approximately one month in advance of the next ACC meeting tentatively planned for the last week of October 1996.
a) Secretariat
UNDP and ECA are discussing ways to support the Secretariat of the Special Initiative with due attention being given to strengthening country and regional level implementation planning. All agencies were invited to contribute to the Secretariat's work through either financial support or by seconding staff to it.
9 May 1996
