Representatives of African governments, international organisations and development partners met last week for the 44th Meeting of the New Partnership for Africa Development - NEPAD - Steering Committee in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa, ahead of the African Union Summit on July 15.

The Steering Committee, which is grouping of personal appointees of African heads of state, is responsible for developing the terms of reference for identified NEPAD projects, and for overseeing the work and activities NEPAD’s programmes

Making his presentation to more than 50 delegates from twenty countries, NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki highlighted some of NEPAD’s achievements since the last meeting which was held in Addis in January this year.

Key among them is the effective mobilisation and use of 130.000 Euro from Irish Aid for the planned 2012 Food and Security Day scheduled for October 20102; With the support of UNECA, UNDP and ACBF, NEPAD mobilised US$137.00 in support of the South Sudan Development Initiative SSDI; and US300.000 mobilised for Norway in support of NEPAD sustainable land and water management and agriculture climate change programme.

Said Jean Yves Adou, in a speech read on behalf of the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Dr Maxwell Mkezalamba, “We would like to commend NEPAD on the effective running of its programme and also note improvement of administrative and financial management. The AUC and NEPAD are turning a significant corner on their working relations, and we commend the Agency for the positive progress made by so far.”

The NEPAD CEO also presented a report on the previous steering committee meeting in which he discussed the challenge of NEPAD relying on donors for funding. 

“We cannot talk about ownership when we depend a lot on outside sources for resources. Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is not an option due to economic factors in Europe and the United States.  The result or alternative is domestic financing. Private investment is important and has to be framed within the tools and frameworks that have been put in place by NEPAD, said Dr Mayaki.