REMARKS BY HER EXCELLENCY TUMUSIIME RHODA PEACE COMMISSIONER FOR RURAL ECONOMY AND AGRICULTURE AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION PRIVATE SECTOR FORUM, 7 NOVEMBER 2014 KIGALI, RWANDA

Mr. Permanent Secretary of Agriculture, Republic of Rwanda
Mr. Shimeles, CEO Nutrifoods, Ethiopia
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to be at the official closing of the Second Meeting of the African Union Private Sector Forum that has run from 5th to 7th November 2014 here in Kigali, Rwanda and we are happy that the African Union Commission Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency have co-oganised it and more importantly we are grateful that Rwanda has continued to be a gracious host. Can you clap for them? The warm welcome, legendary hospitality and excellent facilities are highly appreciated by all of us.
It is encouraging that despite heavy schedules , the Honourable Ministers were able to not only open the meeting but also toparticipate in a number of sessions where their contribution and political direction has been commended. We also thank the Rwandan government and private sector officials that participated actively in this Forum.
The distinguished participants representing a cross section of private sector organisations from across Africa have demonstrated commitment to cooperating with government and enhancing collaboration among yourselves to take forward shared objectives. This is highly commended.
When the Honourable Minister and I addressed the official opening session and set the pace for the deliberations we expected and indeed have achieved the premising of the deliberations on the process of translating the AU Assembly Declaration of Malabo on Accelerated African Agricultural Growth and Transformation where the private sector is expected to complement the public sector especially in terms of finance and investment for agriculture. We need a paradigm shift. We need to find a brand for agriculture if we are to attract the youth, the investors.
I am glad that the Forum has been able to coalesce the collective understanding of the role of the private sector in harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges to unleash Africa’s potential throughout the agricultural value chain. I also note that the Forum further provided an avenue for setting up a platform that brings together private sector operators engaged in agriculture, agroprocessing and agribusiness to better articulate and champion their interests within the framework of sustaining the momentum of implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). This architecture is also helpful in deepening your engagement on the continent and also in interfacing effectively with your counterparts from the rest of the world, but also with your governments.
It was extremely interesting to see how the deliberations were preceded by panel discussions involving government and private sector leaders, in the spirit of the public-private partnership, to provide broad strategic as well as pragmatic outlooks. It was great that the deliberations were structured in break-out sessions focusing on specific thematic areas punctuated by plenary sessions for reporting and discussion of outcomes of working group discussions and I trust that this helped to build a common understanding and approach. And I hope you have appreciated and benefited from this approach. I am glad that our facilitator Ed Reggae has been able to keep you focused. Let’s clap for him.
What I also found enriching was the fact that experiences were shared from various private sector stakeholders and representatives of related government institutions from different African countries and regions, on opportunities for tapping, success stories for scaling up and replicating and challenges for addressing. I am comforted that pertinent recommendations were made.
As I said at the beginning, the outcomes of this Forum will also feed into the Strategy and Roadmap whose preparation is being led by the AUC-DREA and NPCA and is nearing completion in readiness for submission and adoption by the AU Policy Organs in January 2015 as per the decision of the AU Assembly in June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. I am sure that as we roll out this strategy for the next decade, we will be able to see the private sector as a real engine of growth and contributing to Africa Agenda 2063 so that Africa’s aspirations are attained for an integrated and prosperous continent that will be a dynamic force in the global arena. By the way, Africa Agenda 2063 has been on the AU website www.au.int and I hpope you contributed your ideas on the Africa We Want in the next 50 years. The AU Heads of State and Government will be considering and adopting it come January 2015.
At this juncture, let me appreciate you the participants for honouring my invitation, for your active participation and immense contribution during the deliberations at this forum. I also appreciate the management and staff of the Gorilla Golf Hotel as well as interpreters and ushers and all service providers for making our stay enjoyable and our work productive.
I would like to wish you success in your pursuits and I look forward to enhanced public private partnership as well as private – to – private collaboration in furtherance of our common agenda for a food and nutrition secure and poverty free Africa. The late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi used to say he wanted to see Ethiopians getting three meals a day. For me if Africa can have three meals a day, we will have gone a long way towards making Africa a force to reckon with on the global scene.
Thank you.