Convened under the auspices of Mr Pierre Moussa, Minister of Planning, Land affairs and Economic Integration and NEPAD, the opening session of the workshop was chaired by the Principal Private Secretary to the Minister of State, Mr Jean Christophe Okandza, in the presence of Dr. Hesphina Rukato, Deputy Executive Director of the NEPAD Secretariat.

The workshop was also attended by representatives from the President’s Office, all government ministries, the Economic Community of Central African States, civil society, political parties, the Constitutional Court, employers’ associations, trade unions and legislatures.

In her opening address, Dr. Hesphina Rukato highlighted the significance of the Brazzaville workshop, organised as a follow-up to previous workshops held in Angola, Zambia and Lesotho, and at a time while the Republic of Congo holds the chairmanship of the African Union.

Addressing the workshop the Principal Private Secretary said it was set up to look at implementing the integration of NEPAD priorities into the national development plan.

The two-day workshop was then taken up with the presentation of papers followed by discussions.

A paper relating to the national level, presented by Dr. Hesphina Rukato, highlighted the vision, priorities and fundamental principles of NEPAD, while other presentations covered the following areas :

Progress made towards achieving food security, poverty reduction through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as well as the NEPAD environment initiative. NEPAD’s projects on infrastructure.

Central Africa’s environmental potential for sustainable development and the implementation of the NEPAD environment initiative.

implementing NEPAD at national level ;

the African Peer Review Mechanism ;

funding and partnerships ;

the implementation of NEPAD ;

the popularisation and ownership of NEPAD ; and

gender

Mr Jean Baptiste Ondaye the Director-General, Planning and Development, focused on the national development framework and how NEPAD can be integrated into the conceptualisation of development strategies at national level.

Five recommendations were adopted :

the implementation of one flagship project, selected from the list of priority projects by each sub-region.

organising a NEPAD information and popularisation campaign within various local communities around the country.

integrating NEPAD priority projects and policy orientations into national development programmes.

engendering the implementation of development programmes at national level.

supporting fund raising efforts by the Government as well as the NEPAD Secretariat for the implementation NEPAD projects at national level.

The workshop adopted a vote of thanks to the NEPAD Secretariat for the organisation of the national workshop and the NEPAD Secretariat thanked the Congolese Government for the hospitality extended throughout their stay.

The participants also congratulated the Government as well as the President and Head of State of the Republic of Congo, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who is the current Chair of the African Union, on the success of the workshop.

Source : nepad news - june 30