Participants are deliberating on key issues on joint programming, monitoring and evaluation, including revising the RCM-Africa joint work plan, taking into account African Union Commission (AUC) and United Nations reforms, as well as AUC strategic priorities.
RCM-Africa is a platform for the UN system to support the AUC and its organs in the implementation of appropriate policies to promote Africa’s development in accordance with the purpose and principles of the Constitutive Act of the AU and its NEPAD programme.
In welcoming remarks to participants, ECA Deputy Executive Secretary, Giovanie Biha, said the timeliness of the retreat could not be overstated as RCM-Africa sits at the crossroads of important transformations and the renewal process underway at the UN and the AUC.
“Likewise, the mechanism itself has undergone several transformations since its inception in 1998, evolving from a consultative mechanism of United Nations agencies working in Africa, then to a coordination mechanism of the same, and culminating in a Joint African Union-United Nations Mechanism working to advance Africa’s development agenda,” she said.
Ms. Biha said the ongoing reforms of the two institutions provide ample opportunity to further strengthen RCM-Africa and its Sub-Regional Coordination Mechanisms (SRCMs).
She said work will continue on mapping joint work plans of RCM-Africa clusters to the AUC’s seven priority areas, which are; regional integration; African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM); Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services; silencing the guns; climate change; gender and youth.
“The complementary implementation of the peace and security and humanitarian pillar, and the development pillar of the work of our two organizations is crucial for attaining the goals of Agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda,” the ECA Deputy Chief added.