PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD PROGRAMMES IN SADC & OTHER AU REGIONS BRIEFING BY DEPUTY MINISTER SUE VAN DER MERWE TO PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS CAPE TOWN, 1 AUGUST 2007

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION Presentation will focus on: key challenges & priorities for implementation of NEPAD during 2007/8; Progress within South Africa on initiatives being undertaken to internalise NEPAD as an approach to socio-economic & sustainable development; Translating the SADC RISDP plan as regional expression of NEPAD; Outlining continental initiatives aimed at meeting NEPAD priority areas at the continental level; Brief overview on developments regarding APRM process.

KEY SOUTH AFRICAN CHALLENGES & PRIORITIES FOR 2007/8 Interact with key continental, international partners & stakeholders to generate/access support (financial, technical & institutional) for implementation of NEPAD & utilise every available forum for this purpose. Take stock of international pledges of support for implementation of NEPAD, including various sectoral NEPAD plans, strategies, programmes & projects to see what actions should be prioritised by South Africa to ensure focused & specific rollout key actions. Ensure that each AU member state & RECs align national & regional development programmes with NEPAD

NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD Development of National Strategy (NISSA) NEPAD Science & Technology initiatives NEPAD ICT initiatives NEPAD Health initiative NEPAD Good Governance initiative NEPAD Education initiatives NEPAD Agricultural initiatives

REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD SADC Regional Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) has been SADC region’s response to implementation of NEPAD Programmes & has reiterated synergies between the two. RISDP is focused on programmes that add value to regional integration, or enhance the capacity to achieve SADC objectives. Implementation of RISDP is focused on spatial development initiatives (development corridors, growth centres & transfrontier conservation areas). Activities in terms of NEPAD sectoral programmes have been built into each of sectors of SADC work programme under RISDP. SADC & NEPAD Secretariats have both appointed focal points to expedite co-operation between two institutions.

REGIONAL CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING NEPAD Defining NEPAD & RISDP programmes/projects NEPAD project must have potential to be expanded into regional or continental project. Carefully selected current programmes/projects should be packaged & relabelled as NEPAD programmes/ projects. RISDP project must be designed from onset as a regional project, instead of a national project having potential to be expanded into a regional project. Communication & Information Sharing Aim of communication & information sharing should be to promote awareness & understanding of NEPAD & RISDP

CONTINENTAL IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD Continental Discussions on Political & Strategic Direction of NEPAD 17th Meeting of Heads of State & Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) took place in Accra on 1 July 2007, within margins of AU Summit. Principal item on agenda of HSGIC was a discussion on integration of NEPAD Secretariat into AU Commission, with concurrent establishment of a NEPAD Planning & Coordination Agency. HSGIC agreed on Brainstorming Summit to discuss recommendations on integration of NEPAD into AU structure & processes, to be held as soon as possible i.e. before end of 2007.

CONTINENTAL IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD NEPAD Project Implementation at continental level NEPAD Environment initiative Establishment of African Environmental Facility NEPAD Tourism Action Plan NEPAD ICT programmes NEPAD Food & Security Summit Programme on Governance & Public Administration NEPAD Broadband Infrastructure Project Chinese continental support for NEPAD

PROGRESS MADE ON AFRICAN CONTINENT DUE TO ADHERENCE TO NEPAD VISION & PRINCIPLES African continental & regional organisations Peace & security Priority areas Health Infrastructural Development ODA levels African Economic Growth

CONTINENTAL CHALLENGES FACING NEPAD IMPLEMENTATION Strengthening political leadership Capacity building Integration of NEPAD priorities into national development programmes Increase multi-country infrastructure projects Widening APRM participation Converting pledges by Developed Countries into concrete actions Making ODA more effective

OPERATIONALISATION OF AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM Of twenty-six countries that have acceded to APRM, thirteen have been engaged in peer review process. Of these, five countries (Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Algeria & South Africa) have completed process. APRM Panel will hold Brainstorming Session in Algiers towards end of October 2007 to review lessons learnt from five reviews done so far.

CONCLUSION NEPAD a long-term development programme. Critical success factors enhanced political leadership, ownership by people, strengthening institutional human & financial capacity of national, regional & continental development institutions & increased support by international community. African people need to be convinced that NEPAD relevant to them, can address poverty, can ensure sustainable socio-economic development & growth & can make a significant impact on quality of their daily lives. People need to see tangible infrastructure projects, an agricultural revolution, improved health & education delivery systems. It in these areas that greatest challenges for NEPAD to be found. Scale & pace of delivery in these priority sectors remains low.

WAY FORWARD South Africa has taken leading role in developing NEPAD as Africa’s premier development programme, in mobilising African & international support for NEPAD & in supporting structures & processes of NEPAD. In looking forward to 2010, it is crucial that: South Africa continues to mobilise material support domestically, regionally, continentally & internationally for implementation of NEPAD; NEPAD should be made relevant to South Africa as a country; and South Africa should actively assist in process to move NEPAD to higher plane of action and implementation.