Kampala, Uganda – June 1, 2017: African Union (AU) Member States have been urged to enhance mutual accountability for results and impact towards CAADP and the AU 2014 Malabo Declaration on Africa Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation (3AGT).
The call was made at the 13th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform themed, ‘Strengthening Mutual Accountability to Achieve CAADP/Malabo Goals and Targets.’
Mutual accountability for results and impact is a key determining factor for Africa’s development as pointed out in the Malabo Declaration which contains seven key commitments on agricultural transformation, which the AU Heads of State and Government committed to at their 2014 AU Heads of State and Government Summit.
The African Union Commission (AUC) and NEPAD Agency, working with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and technical partners developed a set of 43 indicators based on the Malabo commitments that will enable Member States to report progress biennially. Consequently, the AUC and NEPAD Agency have been capacitating Regional Economic Communities by holding training workshops to provide information on the Biennial Review Mechanism and to train Member States on the technical guidelines to track progress towards the Malabo targets, involving standard country performance-reporting templates.
The Biennial Review Mechanism aims to provide a platform for mutual accountability, and peer review that will motivate increased performance by AU Member States to deliver on targets set by the Malabo Declaration, through a well-designed, transparent and performance based Monitoring and Evaluation and Biennial Sector Reporting to the AU Assembly that will in turn trigger evidence based planning and implementation for the expected agricultural growth and transformation in Africa; and ultimately lead to the Africa We Want , as embodied in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and in particular, to Aspiration 1 of Africa’s Agenda 2063; a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. The first report to the African Leadership will be presented in January 2018.
Officially opening the PP yesterday, Uganda State Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Christopher Kibanzanga assured the meeting that Uganda was committed to mutual accountability saying, “We are here for accountability, we are implementing the Malabo Declaration commitments and we are focused on agriculture to transform our country to a middle income economy.”

Speaking at the opening session, AUC’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Josefa Sacko, said “With the awareness that the Malabo Declaration sounded a call for action towards delivery of results and impact, we should, jointly and as individual actors and as Member States, respond to this call through a focus on implementation of concrete actions on the ground and report on progress attained.”
The AU Business Plan for CAADP-Malabo implementation, the AU Agribusiness Strategy and Country Agribusiness Partnership Framework, were further launched; as tools to support Member States to mobilize private sector investments in country agriculture, proposing the right coordination mechanisms of the key stakeholders and accounting for actions.
Commissioner Sacko urged all stakeholders to support AU Members States to produce credible biennial review reports, on the basis of which the continental report will be produced, emphasising that, “Renewed partnerships built on mutual accountability will help governments, the private sector, civil society, farmers and farmers organizations as well as development partners to deliver on results and impact for a transformed Agriculture to reach the targets set by the Malabo Declaration.” (The complete speech is available on www.au.int).
In addition, the AUC’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa emphasised that, “The continental biennial report will be based on validated country reports by all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, the private sector and development partners.”
“The theme of this year’s CAADP PP speaks volumes. We are noting with satisfaction that for the first time in history, African leaders have set themselves up for checks and balances to be instituted in Africa’s collective agricultural development efforts, through the Malabo Declaration. Indeed, calling for a Biennial Review mechanism to be put in place to track performance and report progress, both by countries and collectively as a Continent, gives us cause for hope for a better future of governance in Africa,” said Mrs. Estherine Fotabong, Director of Programmes, representing NEPAD CEO, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki.

Giving a keynote presentation during the opening session, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), underscored the role of agriculture in driving inclusive economic growth.

“Agriculture is Africa’s surest path to prosperity. Achieving meaningful agriculture transformation requires strong coordination between partners in a countries-led process,” she said. “AGRA is delighted to work with the AUC and the NEPAD Agency in supporting countries to meet their Malabo Declaration commitments which are key to the success of the transformation push,” she added.

The CAADP PP, brings together over 400 leaders from African Governments, including parliamentarians from AU Member States, leaders from international organisations; development partners; private agribusiness firms, farmers, NGOs and civil society organizations.

Preceding the CAADP PP, an Agriculture Policy Learning event was organised by AUC, NEPAD Agency and AGRA to reflect, share and learn about the progress achieved and actions required in the development of national agricultural policy priorities. The Event reviewed successes and challenges in implementing national policy support programmes designed to advance the goals and targets of CAADP as outlined in the 2014 Malabo Declaration and implemented through the respective Regional and National Agriculture Investment Plans (RAIPS and NAIPS).
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For more information contact:

African Union Commission
Ms Carol Jilombo
E-mail: Jilomboc@africa-union.org

NEPAD Agency
Mr Teko Nhlapo
Email: tekoh@nepad.org
WhatsApp: +2783 596 8752