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Report of the NEPAD Eastern Africa region ministers meeting
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PREAMBLE
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION

  1. The Eastern Africa Region Ministers meeting was held on 28th October 2003 in Nairobi, Kenya.

  2. The meeting was attended by Ministers or their Representatives from the following Eastern Africa countries: Burundi, The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the State of Eritrea, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Kenya chaired the meeting. In attendance also were representatives of the following Regional Economic Communities and institutions – Common market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East Africa Communities (EAC), Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the NEPAD Secretariat. In attendance were also the representatives of the various Diplomatic missions, the United Nations Agencies, private sector organizations and Civil Society Organisations. The list of delegates is herewith attached as ANNEX I.

BACKGROUND

  1. The first Eastern Africa Ministerial NEPAD meeting was held at the Kampala International Conference Centre in March 2002. The meeting focused particularly on Infrastructure and Environment. The outcome of the Kampala meeting was submitted to the Dakar Summit in April 2002. The Kampala Ministerial meeting was followed by the first Eastern Africa regional NEPAD Summit, which was held in June 2002 in Nairobi. The Summit included H.E. President Daniel Arap Moi of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. President Yoweri K. Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. President Benjamin Mkapa of the United Republic of Tanzania, and H.E. President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda were in attendance. Also in attendance were the Heads of Delegation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Sudan, the State of Eritrea and a representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  2. The June 2002 Summit, among other things, mandated Kenya to convene an Experts meeting to prepare a regional position on the sectors not covered by the Kampala meeting. In pursuance of this mandate, and taking into account the outcome of the Kampala meeting the Ministers reviewed and adopted the report of the Permanent Secretaries which came up with recommendations that led to:

    1. Consensus on specific Eastern Africa region priority projects to be implemented within the NEPAD framework;

    2. Consensus on a regional focal point to facilitate the implementation of the identified priority regional NEPAD projects, and

    3. An agreed framework of cooperation with the private sector in implementation of regional projects.

OPENING CEREMONY

  1. The opening ceremony of the Ministers meeting took place on 28th October 2003, with opening remarks by Honourable Peter Anyang' Nyong'o Minster for Planning and National Development of the Republic of Kenya and a keynote address by the Honourable Moody Awori, Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs.

  2. Honourable Moody Awori observed that the meeting seeks to domesticate NEPAD in our region as a forerunner to the 2002 NEPAD meetings. He further said that the challenges facing Africa are the challenges of the region and thus urged the participants to take pride in NEPAD as a real Vision for Africa. While noting that food, health, access to markets and democratic leadership comprise call of duty for every leader in our region, he expressed hope that the meeting would reflect the aspirations of the region. And in this regard articulated the need for Ministers to agree on the work of the experts in order to come up with implementable recommendations for adoption by the Heads of State and Government. The keynote address is attached as ANNEX II.

  3. In his opening remarks Honourable Anyang' Nyong'o pointed out that NEPAD provides an opportunity for development in the region. He further emphasised the need to steer away from war, fight poverty, develop infrastructure, empower the people and give development a chance. In light of this he noted that the ongoing peace process in Sudan and Somalia was a significant step forward and commended His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki for his contribution to the peace process in the region. The Minister’s opening remarks are attached as ANNEX III.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

  1. The draft agenda (see ANNEX IV) was adopted without amendment.

ELECTION OF THE BUREAU

  1. Kenya was appointed the Chair and Uganda the Rapporteur.

PRESENTATION AND ADOPTION OF THE EXPERTS REPORT

  1. The ministers adopted the recommendations of the Permanent Secretaries report.

 
PRIORITISATION OF REGIONAL PROJECTS
 
 
  1. In view of the fact that the countries of the region have identified a number of projects through the various REC for implementation under NEPAD, the Ministers recommended the following flag-ship programmes and projects to be fast-tracked:

    1. Programmes to enhance Peace and security

    2. Food Security – the comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme to enhance food security.

    3. The programme to enhance connectivity within the region covering the following

    1. The Five Eastern Africa road corridors.

      • Corridor 1 Mombasa – Malaba – Katuna – Kigali – Bujumbura

      • Corridor 2 Dar es Salaam – Masaka

      • Corridor 3 Biharamulo – Mwanza – Lodwar – Lokichoggio

      • Corridor 4 Nyalanazi – Tunduma

      • Corridor 5 Tunduma – Arusha – Nairobi – Moyale

    2. The road corridors connecting Sudan Ethiopia Eritrea and Djibouti

      • Gedarif – Gallabal – Gondar – Addis Ababa

      • Gedarif – Humera – Gondai – Barentu

      • The submarine fibre optic cable project with inland connections including links to landlocked countries.

      • The oil pipeline extension projects from Malaba to Bujumbura

    1. Programmes to enhance human resource development including education and health.

    2. Energy and ICT

  2. It was agreed that a joint meeting of the Eastern Africa Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Experts in consultation with the NEPAD secretariat in South Africa, to derive a priority list of projects that would be presented to for review and possible adoption by Eastern Africa countries in the first quarter of 2004. The list of projects presented by participating countries is attached as ANNEX V.

  3. The meeting recommended that RECs be mandated to prioritise the regional projects along the following suggested criteria:

    1. Projects that are geared towards poverty reduction, wealth creation, income generation and food security

    2. Projects that have regional perspective and balance

    3. Projects that will enhance the integration of the economies of member states in the regional and global economy

    4. Contribute to sustainable development and gender balance

    5. Projects that contribute to human resource development

 
REGIONAL NEPAD COORDINATION MECHANISM
 
 
  1. Given the multiplicity of RECs in Eastern Africa, and given that none of these REC’s embraces all of the countries in the region, it was recommended that as an interim measure, Kenya be mandated to undertake the coordination function of NEPAD activities in Eastern Africa. This would entail:

    1. Convening regular meetings of the NEPAD representatives for purposes of harmonising the NEPAD related strategies of the participating Eastern Africa countries;

    2. Facilitating regular and frequent sharing of information and experiences among the participating countries and RECs;

    3. Organising regional fora for bringing together key stakeholders around the various NEPAD themes;

  2. It was further agreed that Kenya assumes the responsibility of sourcing the necessary resources to undertake this function.

 
PRIVATE-PUBLIC SECTOR PARTICIPATION
 
 
  1. In order to ensure an enabling environment for effective private sector participation in regional projects, there was need for joint political commitment towards:

    1. Harmonising of policies, strategies, legal and regulatory frameworks at the regional level;

    2. Capacity building in project preparation

    3. Mobilisation of adequate resources both locally and internationally

    4. Transparency in the bidding and transaction process

    5. Reliability of information systems

    6. Involving civil society in the consultation process

  2. It was further agreed to find a mechanism to closely associate civil society organisations and the private sector to the NEPAD process through regional organisations.

  3. The meeting further urged financing institutions including ADB to create a facility to assist member states in capacity building for project inception preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation for presentation to the private sector.

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