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REPORT OF THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE
ACC STEERING COMMITTEE
7 APRIL 1997, PALAIS DES NATIONS,
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Adoption of the Agenda
In his opening remarks, Mr. James Gustave Speth, co-chair of the ACC Steering Committee of the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa (UNSIA), referred to the positive developments during the fifth meeting and indicated that this meeting out to agree on the following goals:
i) Ensure that African leadership and ownership remain the driving force of the Special Initiative;
ii) Ensure that positive results and synergies arising from UN system collaboration, including the Bretton Woods Institutions, are reflected at country-level and that guidance is provided to Resident Coordinators and the UN country teams, building on best practices, e.g. through country team retreats;
iii) Define progress in implementation and identify benchmarks to track this progress as we move forward;
iv) The agenda for the coming year should utilize a common communications strategy that reinforces progress, stresses implementation at country-level and builds support for the UNSIA;
The agenda, which is attached in annex, was adopted, complying with the request from the FAO Director General that item VI "Implementation of UNSIA Food Security Strategy in light of the World Food Summit" be deleted, on grounds that he would be reporting to the ACC later in the week.
II. Review of the Report of the Fifth Steering Committee Meeting
No discussion took place on this item as the report had been circulated in draft and agreement reached prior to its finalization.
III. Implementation Arrangements: Reports of Technical Working Group Meting and Implementation Challenges and Prospects
Discussions on these two items were led by the ECA Executive Secretary, co-chair of the ACC Steering Committee of the UNSIA. In addition to the two UNSIA Secretariat reports, the meeting also received reports from ECA, FAO, ILO, IMF, UNCTAD, UNDP, UN/DPCSD, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNSO, WHO, WMO and the World Bank. Participants were urged to make comments in the context of collaboration within the UNSIA framework. In particular, attention was drawn to the ILO report, "Poverty Reduction through promotion of the Informal Sector and Employment Generating Opportunities" and responses were invited from members. Requests were made for fewer reports in future meetings and for submission on a more timely basis. E-Mail needs to be used more extensively and effectively.
The Executive Secretary called attention to the consensus which emerged from the 5-6 March Technical Working Group Meeting at ECA, on practical ways to streamline gender and population in the Initiative's framework, on country topologies, resolving the issue of eligibility criteria, and on the need for the UN Special Initiative to demonstrate added value in the pursuit of agreed system's goals in the relevant sectors. This latest point, he asserted, was particularly important at the country level and was defined in the following way:
i) Additionality, measured in terms of processes and activities undertaken and results achieved since the launch, which would not have occurred without the Special Initiative;
ii) Intensification of efforts to achieve medium-and long-term objectives, such as universal primary school enrolment;
iii) Deepening of the dialogue among various partners, the UN system, including the Bretton Woods Institutions, and the donor community.
After extensive discussions on the categorization of countries and the appropriateness of the Sector Investment Programme (SIP) approach for the Special Initiative, the meeting reaffirmed that all countries are eligible to participate in the UNSIA but also recognized that the scope and content of programme assistance (e.g. in resource mobilization, capacity-building and advisory serviced for policy issues), are determined on the basis of level of development of sector. It was agreed that the country typology adopted by UN agency participants in the Technical Working Group meeting (e.g. sustainable SIPs, SIPs-capable but requiring advice to overcome policy impediments, weak human and institutional capacity, and countries in crisis and civil strife) reflected country differentiation, based on readiness to undertake sector-wide reforms and investment approaches under the education, health and water clusters. It was further agreed that assistance should be provided for all categories of countries on the basis of requirements determined in consultations with Governments, civil society, the UN system and the donor community.
Implementation arrangements at different levels should take into account cross-sector aspects. Similarly, the Special Initiative should provide necessary assistance for inter-country and cross-boundary requirements in the relevant priority areas.
In establishing mechanisms for monitoring and benchmarking of the education and health sectors, account should be taken of indicators developed by the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Basic Social Services.
Progress in African ownership and leadership has been demonstrated in several key priority sectors, notably, in education, during consultations of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), led by its Steering Committee of seven African Ministers; during the September 1996 WHO Afro-Regional Committee meeting, the African Health Ministers embraced the Initiative as a framework for health sector reform and sensitized African Heads of State on the Special Initiative's framework to improve health service delivery; and the ECA Conference of Ministers adopted the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) for greater utilization of information technology for development.
UN system commitment to the UNSIA is being enhanced by UN system collaboration at cluster levels in education, health, water, governance, harnessing information technology for development, and sustainable livelihood in environmentally marginal areas. Continued collaboration and cooperation at the country level aim to capture and maintain the UN System synergies.
Progress at the country level is becoming more evident through support for policy advisory services, capacity-building and preparation of SIPs in the priority sectors of education, health, water and governance. Relevant examples are:
i) In Ethiopia - successful presentation of education and health SIPs at the Consultative Group meeting in Addis Ababa, December 1996, represented best practices in terms of Government leadership in policy and sector strategy formulation, donor response and UN system agreement on common approaches, e.g. joint preparation of terms of reference and mission participation (World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF) for implementation arrangements; SIP in water approved;
ii) Planned SIPs in education - Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mauritius;
iii) Planned SIPs in health - Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia;
iv) Planned SIP in water in Mozambique;
v) Focus countries for water - Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique and Uganda;
vi) UN Resident Coordinators and UN country team retreats in Ethiopia (March 1997), Ghana and Mozambique (April 1997) and planned for Cape Verde, Congo and Zimbabwe, focus on enhanced coordination , collaboration, harmonization, sharing of best practices, and move toward a common framework for UN country assistance.
IV. LINKAGES BETWEEN UN-NADAF AND UNSIA
In introducing this item, Mr. K. Y. Amoako, co-chair, recalled that the mid-term review of UN-NADAF concluded that UNSIA would represent a critical component of the mechanisms for the successful implementation of UN-NADAF. The need for linking the UNSIA to UN-NADAF was also called for by the September 1996 meeting of the Panel of High-Level Personalities on African Development and by the October 1996 meting of the ACC.
The representative of the UN Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development (DPCSD) described the process showing the link between UN-NADAF and UNSIA, referring to the matrix and annexes prepared jointly by OSCAL and the UNSIA Secretariat. The matrix establishes the linkages between the principles of UN-NADAF, the recommendation of its mid-term review, and the corresponding priority areas of UNSIA. The annexes highlight implementation plans and arrangements, including the role of coordinating and cooperating agencies.k These provide a starting point for monitoring and assessing UN-NADAF implementation. Additional information was provided on the relationship among the Committee for Programme Coordination (CPC) and UN-NADAF and the UNSIA.
Following extensive discussions, the meeting took note of progress achieved and the potential for greater improvements in the UNSIA, the difference in scope between UN-NADAF and UNSIA (regional integration and economic diversification), the legislative underpinning of the former and the mushrooming reporting requirements for the various UN agencies. It was also recognized that UN-NADAF represents the overall political framework meant for galvanizing international support for Africa, while the UNSIA is an implementation mechanism that can bring about significant value-added in terms of mobilizing system-wide synergies, engendering national ownership and commitment and forming a stronger basis for resource mobilization, thus contributing to the successful implementation of UN-NADAF. Participants discussed a merger of the System-wide Plan of Action and the Special Initiative.k Though the group confirmed a congruence of objectives between the two initiatives, they questioned the usefulness of the merger. Any attempts to amalgamate the two would be a less than optimal approach to the successful implementation of UN-NADAF and would not serve any useful purpose. The group noted that the System-wide Plan of Action had not lived up to its expectations; had not properly mobilized system-wide synergies; and had not implemented coherent communications and resource mobilization strategies.k The Committee considered the UNSIA as the most implementable system-wide collaborative support programme for Africa.
It is in this context that a recommendation was made for the Executive Secretary, in his capacity as chairman of the UN inter-Agency Task Force and co-chairman of the ACC Steering Committee of the UNSIA, to consult with the Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development on rationalizing functional implementation arrangements in slight of recent developments.
V. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
The Executive Secretary of ECA led the discussion on the Communication Strategy, recognizing that it has two broad objectives: i) to report on positive and concrete contribution of the UN Special Initiative on Africa and ii) to help improve the image of Africa in order to mobilize support. To accomplish these twin goals the strategy should use African information and media networks, for example PANA, establish outreach to donor media, encourage complementarity of information among facilities of UN agencies and organizations and strengthen links with African inter-governmental fora, such as the OAU.
The discussions which ensued sought greater clarification in a number of areas such as the duality of Strategy goals, implementation arrangements and costs and how to achieve popularization of the UN Special Initiative. It was agreed that as the Communication Strategy is still in draft form, Steering Committee members be invited to transmit their comments to the ECA Executive Secretary within two weeks to assist with finalization of the document.
ECA was also requested to consider establishing a clearing house mechanism for a calendar of meetings in Africa.
VI. GOVERNANCE
Governance activities are planned in 1997 involving ECA, UNDP, UN Departments and Cooperating Agencies, within the UNSIA framework; all are collaborating in organizing a series of consultations, including with some African Heads of State and with NGOs, culminating in an African Governance Forum, scheduled for 10-11 July 1997 in Addis Ababa, and an Expert Group meeting, scheduled for September 1997. The unique feature of these consultations is the emphasis being placed on building partnerships through consensus. African Governments will present programmes, exchange information and experience, with a view to reaching agreement with their external parties, on well-coordinated programmes, on a country-by-country basis, ultimately leading to resource mobilization. The countries under consideration to present governance programmes to the Forum include Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo and Uganda. Based on the outcome of the July consultation, consideration will be given to organizing annual events. The UNESCO-sponsored consultations on Communication for Peace will be an important parallel activity in Governance.
VII. CONCLUSIONS
The Steering Committee noted that the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa is achieving some progress on a number of fronts; synergies from working together, increased dialogue and intensification of efforts, reinforcing the view that the Special Initiative will bring added value, particularly at the country level. Therefore, in the second year of the UN Special Initiative, emphasis should be placed on increasing the pace of implementation of cluster priorities, and on country-level activities through harmonization of various programming instruments and agreement on common implementation arrangements, in order to benefit from UN system synergies and minimize transaction cost for African countries. Accordingly, efforts should be focused on the following:
i) UN Resident Coordinators and UN country teams should be encouraged to convent retreats and workshops, similar to the ones of Ethiopia, Ghana, and Mozambique, to be followed by Cape Verde, Congo and Zimbabwe. plans for retreats need to be publicized throughout the system and reports circulated widely;
ii) Executive Heads are encouraged to issue appropriate instructions to their in-county representatives, to participate fully and actively in the UN country teams, exploring new avenues of collaboration and cooperation and working to augment implementation of the un Special Initiative on Africa in collaboration with Government, donors and civil society;
iii) Ensure that implementation of UNSIA is consistent with the recommendations of the major UN Conferences (e.g. joint letter of Executive Heads of UNESCO, World Bank, UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA following the mid-decade meeting of the International Consultative Forum on Education for All, Amman); OECD/DAC "strategies for shaping the 21st century" and the TICAD process;
iv) The UNSIA should be retained on the ACC agenda and political mobilization efforts should be continued at several levels. Advocacy by Executive Heads in their Boards and with donor and African partners during their official visits, will be required for some time to come and the Steering Committee on UNSIA should continue to support the ACC in its oversight and policy guidance function to maintain Africa as the centerpiece of eh development agenda.
16 May, 1997
UNSIA Secretariat
