The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) held on 25th May, its 38th Heads of States and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) meeting, virtually.

The NEPAD HSGOC provides leadership to the NEPAD process, sets policies, priorities and the programmes of action.

“The 38th Session of the Orientation Committee will reflect on pressing development questions which became more acute with the COVID-19 pandemic. We must make sure that this agency strengthens delivery on our continent’s key priority areas,” said President Paul Kagame, Chairperson of the HSGOC and President of the Republic of Rwanda in his opening remarks. 

He further spoke on the enhanced role of AUDA-NEPAD in the COVID-19 era and highlighted that to successfully navigate in such times, it will require innovative solutions and above all, increased regional cooperation.

“The strength of our health systems has tested over the past year,” the HSGOC Chairperson said. He therefore stressed recommended that AUDA-NEPAD be assigned the responsibility for providing technical support Member States and regions to increase domestic health financing.

President Kagame also spoke on the importance of seizing the opportunity to establish the African Medicines Agency this year, by signing and ratifying its treaty. “A strong regulatory body is absolutely central to Africa’s ambitions to produce safe and effective pharmaceuticals and vaccines for our people,” he stated.

The Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, congratulated the CEO of the Agency, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki on his performance in leading the Agency through the years. "On behalf of the AUC Chairperson, H.E Moussa Faki, we would like to congratulate the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD on the excellent work that he has done during his term in implementing the Agency's mandate," Dr Nsanzabaganwa said.

In his presentation to the committee, AUDA-NEPAD CEO Dr Ibrahim Mayaki spoke on the agency’s delivery in 2020, as outlined in the 2020 agency’s annual report. Dr Mayaki also highlighted the organisation’s strategic areas, which include:

• Operationalisation of the roadmap of AUDA-NEPAD since the institutional reforms of the African Union;
• The integrated delivery model that the organisation is operating on;
• Findings on Member States’ needs;
• Operating within the COVID-19 pandemic context;
• Highlights on the AUDA-NEPAD COVID-19 Response Plan; and 
• Signature solutions within the agency’s divisions.