1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.