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Co-Chairs' Summary
The 11th Africa Partnership Forum had active and fruitful discussions on the three agenda items: Emerging Governance Issues in the APRM Process, Development Finance and Information-Sharing Issues (Follow-up to the 10th APF held in Tokyo, Japan). The Co-chairs noted that the APF is fulfilling its promise of monitoring and that the 11th APF sent strong messages in the following areas:
Session 1: Emerging Governance Issues in the APRM Process
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The efforts made by African countries to achieve good governance were commended. The APRM is recognised as a genuinely Africa owned process that has already produced considerable results. It was felt that its voluntary nature was central to its success and relevance. Development partners declared their readiness to carry on supporting the APRM, while fully acknowledging the importance of African ownership. It was recognised that governance issues call for a long term perspective and permanent tenacious efforts.
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The APRM constitutes a genuine success and achievement for Africa as regards governance and transparency. Development partners, together with APRM members, are encouraged to inform the broader international public opinion about this model of outstanding practice.
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The APRM addresses all stakeholders within a country, who all must contribute to the advancement of the APRM agenda.
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It was generally felt that great care should be taken to maintain the momentum of this important ongoing process. Particular attention is to be given to efforts at the country level, towards the implementation of APRM recommendations through national programmes of action. In this regard, it was acknowledged that more means and financial support from partners may be needed.
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All APF members are encouraged to integrate recommendations from APRM reports into development programmes, with a view to contribute to country ownership.
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More can be done to establish synergies between the APRM and other existing processes or mechanisms, inter alia within the UN, or in relation with the aid effectiveness agenda as regards mutual accountability. Technical cooperation amongst African countries ought to be encouraged in this broader context.
Session 2: Development Finance in Africa
At its session on Development Finance, the 11th APF meeting:
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Underlined that the achievement of the MDGs by African countries is the basic premise of our partnership, and that a strong and functioning partnership with Africa is paramount in this regard through continued support for the AU/NEPAD development agenda and process;
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Emphasized that the ODA commitments should be respected, if need be with innovative financing, even more so now that the world is faced with financial crisis and economic recession;
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Welcomed the reiteration of the need by Development Partners to deliver and maintain their commitments to Africa in provision of ODA, in spite of the expected negative impact of the current global financial crisis on G8/OECD countries. Political will is necessary to achieve this;
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Noted that the negative consequences of global recession calls for a determined effort within Africa to continue to undertake reforms including resource/domestic mobilization that will help maintain its growth of recent years. In particular, tax revenues will need to be propped up through improved and better tax administration, in view of the envisaged decline in sources of domestic revenue for African countries;
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Further observed that the global financial crisis also reflects on the need for the State to play an appropriate role in regulating the financial markets;
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Emphasized that success at the Doha Follow-Up International Conference on Financing for Development is of critical importance to developing countries and Africa in particular, given that the 2002 Monterrey Consensus provides the framework and entry point;
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Welcomed the Tunis Communiqué emanating from the recent Meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Governors of Central Bank, convened by the AU Commission, UNECA and the ADB, on 12 November 2008 in Tunisia. In particular, the meeting commended the African efforts in effective mobilization of domestic revenues and the African commitment to deepen economic reforms, which have continued to yield strong macro-economic stability and growth;
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Also welcomed the positive outcomes in the Declaration of the G-20 Summit held in Washington DC in November 2008, particularly the need for collective effort to deliver on global growth, employment generation and poverty reduction;
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Underscored the importance of financing investment in Africa’s Infrastructure sector;
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Reiterated the urgent need for the reform of the International Financial Architecture, with particular reference to reforms of the IFIs, to reflect the economic weight of new actors in the global economy and to create more space for African countries;
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Stressed the need for both sides in the partnership to implement the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action on Aid Effectiveness;
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Recommended that the APF in 2009, should explore the possibility of further studies/analysis of tax revenue in Africa, illicit financial flows, relationship between Trade and Development in Africa, and the possible impact on economic recession on growth in Africa, at subsequent meetings, as part of the monitoring function of the Forum; and
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Further proposed the continued monitoring of developments and follow-up actions by the Forum on the important issue of Development Finance, given its centrality to Africa’s development, through provision of updated annual reports to APF meetings.
Session 3: Information-Sharing
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The review process of the AU/NEPAD Africa Action Plan aims to assess the viability, implementation status and costing criteria of the projects and programmes. The review will be completed by end March 2009 and to be submitted to the next APF meeting.
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The APF welcomed further work in Carbon Finance in Africa following its last meeting in Tokyo in April. It underlined the importance of further follow-up of this issue, looking ahead both to the next UNFCCC meeting in Poznan and the meeting in Copenhagen in 2009. It was pointed out that steps should be taken to increase Africa’s share of transactions in the Carbon Market, and to pursue current wider proposals involving the development of new funding schemes in order to help generate finance to help meet the costs of adaptation to climate change.
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