MEDIA ADVISORY/ 32nd AU SUMMIT
High Level Session on the Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard as a tool for Shared Learning and Driving Progress

INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

WHAT: High level session on the Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard as a tool for Shared Learning and Driving Progress organized by the Republic of Rwanda and African Union Commission’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

DATE: Sunday 10th February 2019
TIME: 6:30pm – 8:00pm

WHERE: Sheraton Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
BACKGROUND: The 2014 Malabo Declaration and recommitment to the principles of CAADP on agriculture transformation by African Heads of State and Government heightened the importance of the agriculture sector as a driver towards shared prosperity and improved livelihoods. The African leaders committed to ‘Mutual Accountability to Results and Action,’ and innovatively agreed to a biennial review of agricultural progress made against the Malabo Declaration commitments. The Inaugural Biennial Review (BR) Report and Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard adopted by the January 2018 AU Heads of State and Government Summit now offers a unique tool for shared learning in order to accelerate agriculture transformation on the continent.
The Malabo Declaration and the subsequent AU member states’ national agriculture investment plans reconfirmed the importance of agriculture in Africa’s development agenda, as a driver of economic growth, transformation and ending hunger. The African Heads of State and Government adopted concrete and focused agricultural sector goals and targets, which each Member State is expected to attain by 2025.
The Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard (AATS) captures the continent’s agricultural progress based on a pan-African data collection exercise led by the African Union, which has gathered data on up to 43 indicators. These have been modeled to show the progress in key areas such as trade, nutrition, government spending and agricultural productivity.
No other agriculture evaluation tool in Africa’s history has ever brought together the AU, the continent’s regional trade organisations, the private sector, the international development community and all African governments to share progress and lessons for accelerated agriculture transformation.
OBJECTIVES:
 To take stock and celebrate achievements that countries have made against the AU-led Biennial Review process and the attendant Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard (AATS);
 Launch a Heads of State and Government Champions Initiative for Agriculture Transformation in Africa;
 HoS and Government will provide thought leadership through presenting their key flagship programmes and priorities anchoring sector transformation;
 Private sector, development partners, and implementing partners will raise priorities and questions related to how they can best support the action agenda following the Biennial Review and the Africa Agriculture Transformation Scorecard;
 AUC will present a roadmap towards the second biennial review.
WHO: The event will be graced by AU Heads of State and Government; H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; H.E. Amb. Josefa Sacko, AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture; Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO NEPAD Agency, Ministers, Representatives from Regional and International Institutions, bilateral and multi-lateral partners.

Journalists are invited to cover the event on February 10th, 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

JOURNALISTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO OBSERVE TIME
Media Contact:
Ms. Carol Jilombo| CAADP Communications Officer | African Union Commission | E-mail: Jilomboc@africa-union.org|

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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