http://www1.uneca.org/ArticleDetail/tabid/3018/ArticleId/1621/Africa-ready-for-post-2015-development-agenda-MDG-report.aspx 1/2
Africa ready for post-2015 development agenda - MDG report
ECA Press Release 123/2012
Addis Ababa, 17 July 2012 (ECA) – As 2015 draws near, Africa has effectively engaged in the process of defining the contours of the post-2015 development agenda, according to a report published in Addis Ababa by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), African Union, African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.
The report, Assessing Progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals 2012, was considered and endorsed late last night by the 19th Summit African Union Heads of State and Government, according to ECA’s Information and Communication Service.
The report explains ongoing efforts to capture emerging perspectives from Africa on the post-2015 development agenda, but urges countries in the region to remain focused on the MDG targets.
“These efforts must, however, not detract Africa countries from the focus on making continued progress toward achieving goals by the 2015 target date”, the report states.
The report reveals that consultations with African member States so far point toward an “MDG-plus” option which it defines as
“a development agenda that adapts the current framework to new and emerging development challenges, and selects MDG areas that are likely to have the greatest multiplier effects in promoting sustainable development.”
It also proposes a post-2015 agenda that seeks to promote the resilience of African countries to socio-economic and climate- related shocks by addressing associated vulnerabilities.
“The post 2015 development agenda must reflect an appropriate balance of development enablers and outcomes”, it says, arguing that the MDGs have focused largely on development outcomes and less on the means or processes required to achieve the goals…(it) must provide broad indications of development enablers while taking note of country and regional specificities”, the report explains.
Important enablers for the development of African countries include: enhanced peace and security; good governance; human rights for all; strengthened access to justice and equality; a credible participatory process; and enhanced capacity to measure progress and ensure accountability.
“Sustainable human and social development must be underpinned by economic transformation and inclusive growth”, the report concludes.
Elaborating on the new thinking about the post-2015 agenda, Mr. Bartholomew Armah, Chief of the MDGs and Least Developed Countries Section at ECA said the process began at a global and regional level and that in mid-2011, ECA created an online questionnaire in order to get an idea of what different stakeholders felt were priorities for the post-2015 agenda in Africa.
In November 2011, ECA and AUC held a joint workshop for African governments, academia and civil society, to get a more concrete idea of an African position on a post-2015 agenda, he recalls.
“Since then, consultations have been ongoing, and we are continuing to learn from African stakeholders and shape an African position on the post-2015 Agenda”, he said.
At the global level, the UN Secretary General created a Task Force, which recently released the UN Report on “Realizing the Future We all Want”. The report defines a global vision for a post-2015 Agenda, but does not set any Goals or Agendas.
All Regional Commissions, including the ECA are working on a report that will give a regional perspective on the post-2015 Agenda. It will be launched next year.
ECA is actively contributing to this report through what it has learned from its regional consultations.
Experts say that Africa realizes that although the MDGs have weaknesses, they also have enough successes to warrant continuation.
“Nevertheless, given that the current global context for development differs markedly from the 1990s when the MDGs were negotiated, any post-2015 agenda should reformulate or customize them to robustly address the new, complicated challenges that have come to the fore” the Report quotes John F. Ohiorhenuan, economist as saying.
Assessing Progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals 2012 is the 8th in a series initiated in 2005 by ECA, in collaboration with the African Union Commission and other development partners.
:: Download Report Issued by:
ECA Information and Communication Service P.O. Box 3001
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Tel: 251 11 5445098 Fax: +251-11-551 03 65 E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.uneca.org
3/24/2014 Article - Africa ready for post-2015 development agenda - MDG report
http://www1.uneca.org/ArticleDetail/tabid/3018/ArticleId/1621/Africa-ready-for-post-2015-development-agenda-MDG-report.aspx 2/2
© 2012 Economic Commission for Africa For highlights and more, follow us on:
Related Articles
Post-2015 Development Agenda Requires Viable Data Component to Succeed, Lopes tells UN High Level Panel(2/6/2013)
Africa: Poverty on decline, progress in basic education, reveals a new report on the MDGs(7/2/2012)
Inspite of constitutional guarantees, few African countries have achieved gender parity, says Janneh (7/4/2010) Africa's growing cooperation with Southern
partners has positive impact on growth in the continent, says ECA's Nnadozie(10/24/2012)
“On MDGs, the cup is half-full for Africa,” says ECA’s
Nnadozie(11/15/2010)
ECA Conducts Workshop to review Progress with MDG-consistent National Development Plans(12/18/2009) UNECA to assist African Development Planners
Launch Community of Practice Platform (10/1/2012)
Knowledge can accelerate Africa’s MDGs achievement, experts say(11/8/2010)
Delivering as One: UN organizations discuss how to help Africa achieve MDGs (11/5/2009)
ECA spearheads East, Southern Africa consultation on post-2015 development agenda(10/1/2012)
