• Hon Vincent Biruta, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda
• Hon Dhoihir Dhoulkmal, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Union of Comoros, Chairperson of the Executive Council
• Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Welcome to Kigali and to this Fifth Executive Council Retreat extended to the Ministers in Charge of Finance and Planning, being held under the theme “Accelerating the Implementation of Agenda 2063”.

On behalf of the entire Union, thank you most sincerely, for attending this Retreat and for the commitment to continually guide the implementation of our Blueprint Plan – Agenda 2063.

A very big thank you also to our host country Rwanda - for the hospitality, and for yet again, agreeing to host an African Union event within this year. Murakoze cyane!

By way of background to this Retreat, allow me to recall the Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.1164(XL) where, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) were called upon to lead the process of the evaluation of Agenda 2063 FTYIP (2014 – 2023) and the formulation of the successor Ten-Year Implementation Plan (2024-2033).

Through this decision (1164), you gave us the matching orders. And, we now have before you an evaluation report of FTYIP and Draft Plan for the second decade.

We did not do it alone; And we would be naïve to take full credit for it; We are grateful to our Member States who provided input to the Project and to other AU Organs, RECs and Partners such as the UNDP, UNICEF, UNECA, AfDB, Afreximbank and others for their contributions - by way of financial support and/ or technical expertise – in particular, by way of the Technical Working Group (TWG) experts.

Our gathering here is hinged on the following objectives:

1. To Share with you and by so doing, increase awareness and commitment to the findings and recommendations of the Special Project - that is, the Evaluation of the FTYIP and formulation of the STYIP of Agenda 2063;
2. To engage and attain strategic guidance from your Excellencies on the outcomes of the Special Project on Agenda 2063; - this is truly critical as it is key to;
3. Harnessing political will and commitment - including resourcing of the STYIP
4. Attaining commitment to jointly implement and report on the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and United Nations Agenda 2030. In other words, through the efficient approach of One-Framework-Two Agendas.
5. And finally; to agree on Agenda 2063 Coordination and Implementation architecture

As you will hear in the presentations and discussions to follow, findings from the evaluation of the FTYIP, lessons learnt and the emerging contextual imperatives, the Draft Second Ten-Year Implementation Planhighlighted Seven ambitions (moonshots) that are aligned to each of the seven Aspirations of Agenda 2063 i.e. by 2033 as follows:

1. Every Nation in Middle-Income category;
2. Africa is more integrated and connected;
3. Public institutions more responsive to citizen’s needs;
4. Africa resolves conflicts amicably;
5. Africa values are explicit and promoted;
6. Africa citizens are more empowered and more productive; and
7. Africa is a strong and an influential global player

 The seven moonshots of the STYIP are aligned to the broad scope and Aspirations of Agenda 2063. These ambitions will require courage and conviction to make them a reality. I have no doubt that through our collective strategic contributions to the formulation of the STYIP, we will all be inspired to take action towards the Africa we Want.

 As we pursue our vision to have an equal say in global decision-making – and here, allow me to thank everyone for the effort made in AU’s admission to the G20, let us also ensure that none of our African Citizens are left behind in our development endeavours – be it at Local Government, National or Continental level.

I have no doubt through the rich and deep engagements we will have during this Retreat, we will in our spirit of Pan-Africanism, reaffirm our conviction that together, we will ultimately materialise the aspirations of Agenda 2063 for the benefit all our citizens.

 With these few remarks, I trust, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, that we will have a productive and successful Retreat.

I thank you.