New York, 3 October 2011 – As the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD), the blueprint for the continent’s development,
commemorates its tenth anniversary, United Nations and African
officials gather in New York to reflect on its achievements and debate
its future course.
A series of high-level meetings and events designed to foster debates
and generate suggestions for further improvements are slated to take
place from 6 to 12 October in New York, both at the UN headquarters
and elsewhere in the city. “All these are opportunities for us to look
back at the role of NEPAD and the remarkable progress Africa has made
over the past ten years,” said UN Under Secretary-General and Special
Adviser for Africa, Mr. Cheikh Sidi Diarra.
The events will kick off on 7 October with a panel discussion at the
UN, which will ponder the links between NEPAD and the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). Other events include briefings to UN member
states, a commemorative public lecture at Columbia University, and
press briefings by Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer
of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), and other
officials.
Shortly after its adoption by African leader ten years ago, the NEPAD
plan became the main UN vehicle in support of Africa. Over the past
decade, NEPAD has promoted bold and innovative approaches in various
sectors, including agriculture, new technologies and governance. “Our
initiatives are progressively bearing fruits on the grounds and we
expect the plan’s impact to be stronger in coming years,” affirms Mr.
Mayaki. “Already, it has changed the perception people have of
Africa,” he adds.
In February 2010, NEPAD was officially incorporated into the African
Union (AU) formal structures with the creation of the NPCA.
For Africa as a whole, the past ten years have been marked by
significant progress: economic growth accelerated during most of the
decade across the continent and democratically elected regimes became
more common. Yet, endemic poverty and high unemployment rates persist.
“Meeting here, 10 years after the plan was adopted, is also an
opportunity to take a closer look at the challenges that remains for
NEPAD and for the continent,” concludes Mr. Diarra.