Commonwealth Consultative Meeting on NEPAD
17 June 2004
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The three-day meeting, which will be opened by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, will bring together heads of civil services, senior government officials, experts and eminent persons to review the role of the public service in Africa and identify ways to implement the NEPAD initiative. Other participants will include high commissioners based in London and representatives from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Economic Community of West African States, the Southern African Development Community, and international development agencies.
The meeting, organised by the Secretariat's Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD), aims to promote greater support for NEPAD that was adopted by African leaders in 2000 to address the challenges faced by countries in their continent. The leaders committed themselves to re-engineer a path of revival for Africa by moving out of poverty to sustainable development. The focus would be on national development through the promotion of sound macroeconomic policies; combating corruption; and respecting human rights, democracy and good governance. The African states would also make efforts to improve their investment climate for local and foreign investors.
To help them along, the Commonwealth is committed to strengthening its partnership with Africa to help the member countries of NEPAD realise their development goals.
"By helping to promote economic and social development in NEPAD, it is hoped that this will translate into peace, security and stability in Africa," said Professor Victor Ayeni, Director of GIDD.
"One of the common grounds identified between the goals and objectives of NEPAD and the core values and principles highlighted in the Harare Commonwealth Declaration is in ensuring that efficiency of public services is an essential area of good governance and development. How can we further strengthen this relationship and partnership? What support and assistance can the Commonwealth bring to NEPAD?"
Delegates at the Consultative Meeting will look at structures and systems that underpin the work of NEPAD and examine its influence on public administration in Africa. They will also examine the reform of the public administrative systems in African countries as this is critical to the implementation of NEPAD.
"Only sound public systems, regenerated state institutions and sharpened capacities and capabilities of its peoples can make the African continent viable to significantly support the NEPAD initiative, while achieving competitiveness to meet the prevailing global challenges," said Professor Ayeni.
He noted that the public services in Africa have been crippled over the years by many challenges which have impeded development including the lack of good governance, poor accountability, limited effective partner relationships to encourage resource mobilisation, and inadequate programme development and delivery skills.
"In post-war countries such as Sierra Leone and Rwanda, the loss of past confidence alone threatens the recovery of administrative systems and structures. Reconstruction and development for countries that have faced similar situations can be addressed through targeted programmes, planning and partnerships. Recovery of public services is a critical area in the provision of essential services to citizens. And we can look at this at the Consultative Meeting on NEPAD and discuss the role of the public service in Africa."
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