AU Strategy and Roadmap for Facilitating the Translation of 2025 Vision on CAADP

High-level table with NEPAD CEO, AUC Commissioners, 

Chairperson of Executive Council among others

27 January 2015. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. High Level Event Closure of the 2014 AU Year of Agriculture and Food Security and Launch of the AU Strategy and Roadmap for facilitating the Realisation of 2014 Malabo Commitments on Agriculture.

Ms Maria-Helena Semedo, 

FAO Deputy Director-General

The event brought together about 300 participants, specifically Members of the AU Executive Council (Ministers of Foreign Affairs), the Permanent Representative Committee (Ambassadors), AU Senior Officials, Regional Economic
Communities (RECs); Chief Executives of key stakeholders (the private sector in the agri-food industry, farmer organizations; CSOs, Youth and Women organisations, technical and Development Partners; and the media.

In his statement to 300 senior officials, NEPAD Agency CEO Dr Ibrahim Mayaki said that the Strategy is a celebration of leadership, partnership and regional integration since the commitment made by African leaders in 2003 to give Agriculture-led development a priority and which resulted in the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). Dr Mayaki said that African leaders have realised that “most of Africa's national problems do not have optimum national solutions, but regional solutions”. 

AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Mrs Tumusiime Rhoda Peace emphasised that the Strategy will transform agriculture for more inclusive growth, by focusing on increased agricultural production, intra-African trade, resilience of livelihoods, and strengthening the governance of land, water and other natural resources.

Audio:
Maria-Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, at a High-Level event to mark the official Launch of the AU Strategy and Roadmap for facilitating the 2014 Malabo commitments on agriculture.
FAO has enhanced its assistance to four initial focus countries - Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi andNiger - to design and deliver value-added actions in support of their efforts to end hunger.

Background:
In June 2014, the African Union summit, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, endorsed the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods. One of the seven commitments that were adopted, ‘Ending Hunger in Africa by 2025’, grew out of the Renewed Partnership to End Hunger in Africa by 2025, involving the African Union Commission, its NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA), the Institute Lula and FAO among other partners.

Related:
This ECDPM video presents briefly the perspectives of some key CAADP stakeholders about the Malabo Declaration. Including :

• Komla Prosper Bissi, CAADP Adviser for trade and agribusiness – African Union Commission (AUC) 
• Benito Eliasi – Capacity Development Advisor, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions SACAU 
• Alangeh Romanus Che – Coordinator of CAADP Non-State Actors Task Team 
• Lucy Muchoki – CEO of the Pan African Agribusiness and Agro Industry Consortium (PanAAC) 
• Jeff Hill – Director for Policy at USAID Bureau 
• Robson Mutandi – International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) representative to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Angola – East and Southern Africa 
• Nachilala Nkombo – Deputy Director, ONE campaign 
• Ousmane Badiane – Africa Director for the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

30 January 2015. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Opening Ceremony of the Twenty Fourth (24th) Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union