Partnerships needed to accelerate Africa's transformation

© Kamaga via 123RF

In keeping with the enhanced and mutually reinforcing partnership between the two organisations and to further accelerate the implementation of the sustainable development agenda for Africa, the United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres and the African Union Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, signed the AU-UN Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, at the 30th African Union Summit. This follows the signing of the peace and security framework between the AU and the UN in April 2017.

The joint AU-UN sustainable development framework envisions stronger coordination between the two organisations to ensure that the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the AU’s Agenda 2063 are mainstreamed and integrated into the national planning frameworks of Member States and contribute positively to people-centred and planet-sensitive structural transformation in Africa.

The importance of a peaceful, stable and secure environment and respect for human rights to achieve sustainable development is recognised in both the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.

During the signing, Guterres, noted that, “eradicating poverty is the overriding priority of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, and that he is happy that “today, we signed the framework on the implementation”.

In the same light, Mahamat expressed satisfaction with the existing partnership between the AU and the UN, adding that the signing of this framework will enhance the achievement of the two Agendas.

The framework also outlines the monitoring of implementation tools, to ensure that implementation results are monitored and challenges addressed. The framework further stresses the nexus between peace, security and development in the implementation of the two Agendas in Africa.

A harmonised and integrated approach to the implementation of the two Agendas will minimise duplication; optimise domestic resource mobilisation; and external stakeholders and development partners’ support and strengthened partnerships.
An Action Plan to operationalise the framework will be discussed and agreed when the two leaders meet again in April 2018 for the 2nd Annual AU-UN Conference.