The Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSIC) issued a communiquР№ on its discussions in Abuja, Nigeria on 26 March 2002. It gives information on reports from the various task teams at the meeting and the ensuing discussions.
2.1 Peace and Security
The task team expressed concern about ongoing conflicts on the continent and called on all parties to cooperate in seeking peaceful solutions.
The meeting requested the sub committee to focus on:
- Enhancing capacity to undertake strategic assessments of conflict situations
- Supporting efforts to develop early warning systems
- Supporting post conflict reconstruction
- Curbing illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons
- Supporting efforts to promote democracy, good governance and respect for human rights.
- Assisting to mobilise resources for the African Union Peace Fund.
The task team briefed the committee on efforts to improve continental and sub regional mechanisms to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. The Committee supported this work and the task team’s ongoing support for the establishment of a Council of the Wise to complement the envisaged AU Peace and Security Council.
2.2 Political Governance and Peer Review
The HSIC supported the Draft Report on Good Governance and Democracy and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)I. The mechanism will help to ensure that African countries base their policies on the best current knowledge and practices. It must be African designed, owned and managed and show that African leaders are fully aware of responsibilities and obligations to their people and will relate to the rest of the world on the basis of integrity and mutual respect. The committee supported establishing a Commissioner for Democracy, Human Rights and Good Governance in the AU.
The Committee approved eight draft Codes And Standards For Economic And Corporate Governance and an African Peer Review Mechanism.
2.3 Key themes and sectors
The summit considered draft action plans to fast track development in the following areas.
- Agriculture and market access
- Infrastructure (ICT, water and sanitation, transport, energy)
- Capital Flows
- Human Development (health and education)
Draft action plans on capacity building, poverty alleviation, gender issues and disaster management amongst others will be finalised for presentation at the next committee meeting.
2.4 Marketing and implementing NEPAD
The summit called for greater efforts to popularise NEPAD, especially on the African continent, in order to deepen ownership and increase involvement from the leadership and groups such as women and youth. To this end the committee called for the urgent implementation of the marketing and communication strategy.
The committee reiterated that it sees NEPAD as a vehicle for realising the Millennium Development Goals on the continent. African ownership to promote the legitimate aspirations of her people, and partnership with the rest of the world are both central to the process.
As NEPAD is a mandated initiative of the AU, its Secretariat and Steering Committee should work closely with the union. NEPAD and the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA) complement each other but also have areas of overlap and possible duplication, the Steering Committee should work with the OAU Secretariat to rationalise the two. Other priority goals include greater regional integration through the regional economic communities and addressing gender and youth issues.
2.5 Financing development
The HSIC welcomed the increased financial commitments made at Monterrey and the new relations being built with international development partners. It expressed the hope that commitments would be realised and called for the creation of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to help finance African commercial payments.
2.6 Calendar
Conference on Financing NEPAD, Dakar, Senegal, 15-17 April 2002
Third meeting of the HSIC, Rome, Italy, June 2002 (during the World Food Summit)
Fourth meeting of the HSIC, Durban, South Africa, 8 July 2002
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