AU Retreat on Institutional Reforms and the 2nd decade of Agenda 2063 kicks off

Addis Ababa, June 9, 2023 (FBC) – The African Union Retreat on Institutional Reforms and the preparations of the second decade of Agenda 2063 is currently underway in Kigali, Rwanda, AU confirmed.

The four-day retreat facilitated by the African Union Commission, brings together members of the AU Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC); African Union Organs; and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to review the mandates of the AU organs, Permanent Representational Offices, Specialized Technical Agencies, and Liaison offices of the African Union; and strengthen the working methods of the African Union Peace and Security Council and its role in conflict prevention and crisis management.

The retreat will also consider the progress on the division of labour between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Mechanisms and Member States.

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government have since adopted a framework that guides the division of labour through the sharing of competencies. The framework is anchored on the principle of subsidiarity, complementary and competitive advantage. The division of labour is centred around six pillars namely; Policy planning and formulation; Policy adoption; Policy Implementation; Monitoring, evaluation & reporting; Resource mobilization; and Partnerships.

Further, the retreat will discuss the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063 that spans from 2024 to 2033.

It is indicated that the implementation of the second decade of Agenda 2063 will be focused on acceleration, building on the first decade that focused on convergence. Valuable lessons learned from the first decade of Agenda 2063 have been captured in the biennial progress reports and the evaluation of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan, among other documents, which in turn informed the design of the successor ten-year plan.

Speaking at the opening session of the retreat, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission lauded the progress of the reforms underscoring its relevance in repositioning the organization to deliver on the vision for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

He noted some of achievements of the reforms highlighting, among others, the departmental structure of the AU Commission; the transformation of the NEPAD into the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) with an expanded mandate; the autonomy of Africa CDC reinforced by a new statute; the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) structure; the expanded mandate of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM); the implementation of the Decision on Financing the Union for self sufficient financing through domestic resources including the Peace Fund, as well as the enhanced budgeting process. “This institutional architecture has proven itself. Beyond some delays observed for various reasons, it is important to note that for the first time in the history of the African Union, a reform decided by the Heads of State and Government has produced concrete and convincing results. Indeed, a quick glance at the tangible results obtained at the course of the last five years is enough to illustrate my point.”

FBC understands that the report from the retreat will be considered in the processes of the AU Policy Organs before being presented for consideration by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.