The first edition of the African Regions Forum (FORAF) “proved to be a success,” according to the organisers.
The FORAF is coming to an end.
Held from September 8 to 9 in Saïdia, in the Oriental region of Morocco, the first ever African Regions Forum brought together some 500 delegates from 30 countries, including 21 countries from the continent.
More than 80 presidents of African regional governments participated in this “historic event” which opened up new perspectives on the management of African communities.
The Saidia Declaration stressed the need to make African regions structuring poles of sustainable development of the continent and important steps in the construction of “the integrated Africa we want,” according to a statement seen by APA.
It also affirmed the importance of calling on national governments and development partners to ensure that the financial means for implementing national public policies and global agendas reach the budgets of regional governments.
One of the key moments of the FORAF’s closing was “the presentation of its roadmap, which was developed to set concrete objectives for all presidents of African regions and invite them to strengthen their regional governments, financially, technically and democratically,” the document said.
It takes into account “the ten-year plan” of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), FORAF organisers, stressing that this plan is better known as GADEPPA 2.0.
The participants “committed to collaborate” with the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Afreximbank, before encouraging the UCLG Africa Secretariat to establish a memorandum of understanding with the above-mentioned institutions.
The roadmap will be translated into an action plan that will be developed by a working group composed of five members, one from each region.
This work plan will be presented at the Pan-African Council of UCLG Africa to be held in Tangiers, from November 1 to 3, 2022.
ODL/cgd/lb/as/APA