2021 has been characterised by unprecedented events stemming from the global outbreak of COVID-19. The pandemic has continued to bring about significant disruptions to the socio-economic landscape of Africa’s development systems. This has seen tremendous changes in the focus and outlook of development needs by many AU Member States.

As a direct response, AUDA-NEPAD recalibrated its programme of work to focus on transformational results (medium to long term) while addressing the immediate needs arising from the knock-on effects of COVID-19.

The Agency’s multi-year and fit-for-purpose programme aims to ensure implementation of Africa’sAfrica’s long-term blueprint - Agenda 2063 - and is focused on three priority areas:

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This report highlights the progress in implementing AUDA-NEPAD’s overall mandate and select achievements reached in 2021.

Under the Agency’s health portfolio, AUDA-NEPAD upscaled African home-grown solutions to improve healthcare capacity and reduce the reliance on external medical supplies. In Kenya, through the Pandemic Resilience Accelerator, AUDA-NEPAD supported the Revital Healthcare Manufacturer. Under this initiative, over 40 medical devices were produced for distribution in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. This contributes meaningfully to building pandemic resilience during the immediate COVID-19 crisis and over the long term.

In partnership with Mezzanine and Vodacom, AUDA-NEPAD deployed a state-of-the-art vaccine management platform to manage COVID-19 vaccinations in South Africa and baby inoculations in Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria. The digital infrastructure has, thus far, supported nine million COVID-19 vaccinations in South Africa.

At the continental level, AUDA-NEPAD pushed forward to accelerate the establishment of the Africa Medicines Agency (AMA), which entered into force on 5 November 2021. This is to enhance the capacity to regulate medical products and ensure access to safe and efficacious medication for Africa’s people.

On Economic Growth and Jobs, the Agency continued to foster regional integration by fast-tracking 69 cross-border priority projects under the Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA). To increase access to climate-smart energy, AUDA-NEPAD piloted a 100-kilowatt solar power photovoltaic (PV) generating solution in Sierra Leone. The pilot project has proved to be a sustainable and cost-effective business model for adaptation and roll-out in other communities.

AUDA-NEPAD also trained more than 18,000 MSMEs from 33 countries on business and entrepreneurship skills and financing. Furthermore, a financing scheme in eight pilot countries has been operationalised to strengthen occupational prospects for young people in Africa.

The Agency continued to promote Africa’s interests and worked with stakeholders in shaping a common African position on food systems. To this end, AUDA-NEPAD provided technical support to 46 AU Member States to hold national dialogues and facilitated, together with the African Group of Negotiators, Africa’s Common Position on Food Systems during the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS).

In 2021, the Agency developed technical guidelines and tools for monitoring the implementation of Agenda 2063. Subsequently, it provided technical support to 38 Member States to prepare the Second Continental Progress Report on Agenda 2063. The report is a critical milestone in assessing progress towards achieving Agenda 2063’s Ten-Year Implementation Plan – The Africa We Want – and will be launched by the President of Côte d’Ivoire and Agenda 2063 Champion, H.E. Alassane Ouattara, at the AU Summit in February 2022.

For more information, please watch the AUDA-NEPAD 2021 Highlights Video: https://www.nepad.org/galleries/auda-nepad-covid-19-response.