The Commission for Africa report and the African Union

Tony Blair's Report for the Commission for Africa has been released in order: "to define the challenges facing Africa, and to provide clear recommendations on how to support the changes needed to reduce poverty.” The Commission states from the offset that they see 2005 as the year for Africa. The Report outlines very specific recommendations related to topics such as causes, trade, economic growth, culture, education, governance, capacity building, healthcare, violent conflict, water, HIV/AIDS, women, donors and implementation. However, this summary highlights specific references and recommendations that the Report has made to the African Union.

Conflict Prevention

With unresolved conflicts in places such as the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia, the goal towards the prevention and resolution of conflict appears to be a reasonable area of concern for the Commission for Africa. Specifically the Report urges donors to "fund at least 50 per cent of the AU's Peace Fund from 2005 onwards". By using initiatives and bodies such as the pan-African Parliament, AU's New Partnership for Africa's Development (AU/NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism, the Report believes in an encouraging future. The Commission highlights the importance of the political involvement and financial contributions of developed countries, established organisations and individual donors to help establish an African Union which is an important, effective, international peacekeeping group. Further, "the African Union (AU ) has moved towards putting the concept of 'non-indifference', which recognises the responsibility of member states to promote human security, into practice" by responding to instability. In order to achieve this goal, the AU would need to create an agenda for action which would raise the standards of infrastructure, financial and human resources needs.

The prevention and resolution of violent conflict through "'Early warning systems', risk assessments and fact-finding missions" could improve the distribution of information, reduce the risk of conflict and provide adequate response activities. Further, the development of ‘open-source’ early warning systems, African think-tanks and universities on peace and security are ways of using education and capacity-building methods to mobilizing responses.

Education

Education is another way that awareness is built and skills are encouraged. Through the AU/NEPAD 'e-learning' pilot scheme, more appropriate curricula in educational programs would be supported and ensured. "The regional networks should also support African governments in developing systems for the accreditation and quality assurance of education, vocational and teacher training".

Health and HIV/AIDS

Concerning healthcare in Africa, the Commission emphasised the need for African governments to invest in their public healthcare systems as a first step. As a second step, donors would be required to "provide US$7 billion over five years […] behind the Health Strategy and Initial Programme of Action, of the African Union’s NEPAD programme". The Initial Programme of Action is an attempt to tackle years of oversight, disregard and deficient resources that have infringed on healthcare. AU/NEPAD and the World Bank would be responsible for creating networks, encouraging aid and resource-building to develop global partnerships and guidelines.

Emerging from African leadership, the Initial Programme of Action is a short-term, catalytic plan to build and renovate the foundations for health systems in a coherent manner. It is setting out to tackle the years of neglect and conflicting approaches.

Further, the AU 's Presidential Initiative, AIDS Watch Africa, and the AU /NEPAD Fight against AIDS Strategy have received a significant amount of support and the Commission predicts that they will most likely be merged into a single AU strategy which focuses on AIDS. However, budgetary support from donors for these initiatives is crucial.

Social exclusion and vulnerable groups

In order to build countries and organisations that are based on a rights and inclusion framework, donors need to support the AU's NEPAD Programme and countries to develop social protection strategies by 2007. This would require the development of analysis and good practice on issues related to orphans, vulnerable children and groups who are excluded from acquiring rights. The Commission recommends that "Donors and African Governments should provide financial and other support to the Gender and Development Directorate of the AU, to AU /NEPAD and to the African Gender and Development Centre of the Economic Commission for Africa."

Growth and poverty reduction

Priorites and the sharing of best practices between both businesses and governments needs to be encouraged. This needs to be supported at the "the regional, national, urban and rural priorities identified by AU /NEPAD, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), national governments, local authorities and municipalities, the private sector and poor people - and should avoid funding prestige projects that have so often turned into white elephants in the past." “We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union... [are] concerned that at the current growth rates, Africa is at risk of not attaining the MDGs... [We are] convinced that high and sustained economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition to reduce poverty”.

Agriculture and rural development

Agricultural projects need to support the AU /NEPAD's Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Framework, focusing on "irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure; research, innovation and extension; security of tenure and land rights; and a well planned strategy of urbanisation that recognises the role of small towns in encouraging growth and trade through the development of local and regional markets."

Rights of Women

The empowerment of women in relation to access to land, education and economic and social assets needs to be addressed. “Recommended actions include improving women's access to training in basic business skills and market opportunities; and implementing legislation that guarantees land, property and inheritance rights for women […] These are essential not only for gender equality and poverty reduction, but also for the development of a diverse and vibrant private sector.”

Poverty Reduction

In order to rid developing countries of past debts while preventing future ones, more attention and involvement is required of the AU in aid distribution and country selections. Further, it is important to assess the need of countries more closely in order to ensure that they are receiving the best type of aid for their problems.

African leadership and world partnership

The African Union and NEPAD have been created to focus on the idea that “Africa's development must be shaped by Africans.” This involves cooperation and sustainable development on the part of all African countries. The Commission said it had seen progress in many countries and viewed the Peer Review Mechanism as having the ability to provide legitimacy and oversight within the AU. The AU and African regional organisations must continue to work towards reducing and controlling conflict and good governance with peace and security. However, "the grip of weak governance, corruption and conflict in many parts of Africa is still strong. It can and must be loosened and overcome."

* Rina Alluri works for Fahamu

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