English - Economic Commission for Africa

Meeting Report: Experts Group Meeting on Implementation of NEPAD
and Ten-Year Capacity Building Programme for the African Union
nity. This is illustrated by improvements in the coherence and coordination
of support from development partners, as well as the establishment
of common African positions on major global issues. Furthermore,
through NEPAD, continental programmes have been developed across a
wide range of sectors, with their respective levels of implementation at
various stages. He stressed that, despite this achievement, NEPAD continues
to face several challenges in its implementation that are structural,
political and economic in nature.
Discussants
13. Mr. Gengezi Mgidlana, and Professor Peter Ewang were the discussants
for this session. Mr. Mgidlana underscored the need for any review
of NEPAD to be based on assessing the initial philosophy, principles and
plan of the programme. It was also important to review the enabling
environment, including the roles of key AU institutions. Essentially, the
achievements should be linked to NEPAD priorities. He acknowledged
that there were difficulties in attributing some achievements solely to
NEPAD as other actors were equally working towards Africa’s development.
The objectives of TYCBP-AU as well as linkages with RCM-Africa
also need to be clearly presented in the draft report. In conclusion, he
stressed that along with the importance of TYCBP-AU being linked to the
priorities of NEPAD, its implementation should be inclusive, involving all
stakeholders, including NPCA and RECs.
14. Professor Ewang, while acknowledging that several variables contributed
to the implementation of NEPAD, emphasized that the draft
report should be re-oriented to focus on the impact of capacity on the
achievement of NEPAD objectives and the role of the TYCBP-AU going
forward. In essence, capacity-building should be the central focus of the
report.
General discussion
15. The discussion generally echoed the views of the two discussants.
Other issues raised included the following:
i. The draft report should adopt a historical and comparative approach,
and avoid case studies, wherever possible, in order not
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