NEPAD TV schedule

The next NEPAD TV schedule on SABC Africa (DSTV channel 286) is :

African Views 24 October at 8pm - 9pm (SA time) This phone-in panel discussion will feature Dr. Bernard Kouassi, Executive Director, African Peer Review Mechanism.

The topic will be the Peer Review process. 180 Degrees 25 October 2007 at 8:35am (SA time)

The morning interview programme will feature Dr Hesphina Rukato, Deputy CEO, NEPAD Secretariat who will talk on the implementation of NEPAD at national level and the Peer Review process. Source : NEPAD, 19 0ctobre 2007

Key role of agriculture in reaching Millennium Development Goals

The second African Union Commission, NEPAD and Regional Economic Communities meeting on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) was opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on September 25 2007, by the AUC’s Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Rosebud Kurwijila.

It attracted participation from the AU, NEPAD, the African Development Bank, CAADP lead pillar institutions and RECs comprising COMESA, ECCAS, ECOWAS, CEN-SAD and IGAD.

The main objectives of the meeting included reviewing CAADP implementation and progress in Africa, discussions on the way forward on CAADP implementation and agriculture–led development on the continent, the best ways to sustain commitment by governments to align their programmes to CAADP goals, and progress reports on some key AU Heads of State Summit decisions.

Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Kurwijila said the agricultural sector had been and would continue to play a role in the realisation of the continent’s economic growth, poverty alleviation and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

There was need for concerted efforts to develop strong partnerships at country, regional and continental levels with public and private institutions to develop strategies and programmes in line with the CAADP goals and principles.

“The AUC, the NEPAD Secretariat and the RECs will continue to play catalytic, facilitative and advocacy roles in supporting the efforts and initiatives of national governments at country level,” she said.

She congratulated COMESA on the progress achieved in CAADP implementation in its member states.

She expressed the AU’s appreciation to the development partners for strengthening the institutional capacities of the RECs in CAADP implementation and commended the European Commission paper on agriculture, acknowledging its commitment to supporting CAADP as an African conceived and driven initiative.

Addressing the meeting on behalf of the partners, Dr. Ben Davies of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) said the key strength of CAADP was that it was African-led and owned. He said the development partners were committed to supporting an African-led agenda for development.

Dr. Davies said the partners were also committed to harmonising their support for the CAADP framework and alignment with its goals and announced that the Donor Global Platform for Rural Development had appointed a team leader to head the CAADP Task Team to spearhead CAADP activities. Source : NEPAD, 19 0ctobre 2007