Your Excellency Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AUC
Your Excellences Ambassadors and Heads of Diplomatic missions
Your Excellency Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD
Planning and Coordinating Agency
Your Excellences Ambassadors and Heads of diplomatic Missions
Dr. Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for
Africa
Ms Deborah Mekonnen, Policy and Programme Specialist and UNDP
Representation to the AU and Liaison Office with UNECA
Senior Government Representatives
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am indeed delighted to be here today on the occasion of the launch of two
important publications by the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency
(NEPAD Agency). The two publications that have just been launched by Dr.
Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Agency, touch
on one common theme – Africa’s Development. The continent’s overarching
priorities are still poverty eradication and wealth creation, provision of socioeconomic
infrastructure and services, food security, good governance and
effective institutions. There is compelling evidence of sustained progress in the
pursuit of economic growth, good governance and the emergence of strong,
functional and effective institutions in Africa. These are vital for development.

I. AFRICA’S GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT
With respect to the governance environment:
• The continent has progressed significantly from years of personalized
power, unaccountable and authoritarian governments, violation of human
rights, rampant corruption, absence of the rule of law, massive state
intervention in the economy and lack of decentralization of
responsibilities and resources. Africa is today making strides in the
building of democratic institutions and will continue to pursue efforts at
good governance within the context of the activities of the African Union,
the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and interventions by the
RECs, which have been instrumental in addressing issues of conflict and
peace management.
• African countries are encouraging younger generations to participate
actively in political processes in order for the voices of the youth to be
given stronger expression in governance and institution building.
• Malfeasance still exists in the use of resources and is a reflection of
weakness of public accountability mechanisms and transparency systems.
There are however strategies and measures that are working. Africa will
continue to strengthen the demand for public accountability by civil
society and other stakeholders in order to establish collective and
nationally-owned mechanisms for translating ideas into public policy
reforms and change.

II. AFRICA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH PERFORMANCE
Africa is growing at a rapid rate and moving from conventional to sustainable
development. Growth is a pre-requisite as it creates the wealth from which
development commitments and targets are met. Poverty levels and inequalities
in incomes must fall progressively and socio-economic infrastructure, which
encourages and supports investments as well as efficient social services, must
be available to create the condition for sustainable development. We need these
fundamentals for development. Present statistics puts no less than six African
countries among the world’s fastest growing ten economies over the decade,
2001 and 2011, which the NEPAD Agency 2011 Annual Report marks. It has
been observed that over the past decade, the unweighted average growth rate
was about the same for Africa and Asia. Given the current prospects, there is a
strong likelihood that Africa will surpass Asia in growth in the next decade. To
this growth, the AU-NEPAD programme will continue to make a vital
contribution.

III. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
A vigorous implementation of the African Union Social Policy Framework and
protocols by RECs are producing desired results, which need reinforcement.
Thus far, a number of successes have been achieved in social sector
development, poverty eradication, and reduction in the level of inequality,
among others. Africa has recorded a number of success stories in the
achievement of the MDGs and is on track. A number of countries have made
good progress. The evidence is strong and encouraging that with the right policy
mix, efficient use of resources, improved governance, enhanced and sustained
international support, the continent will achieve many of the MDGs. However, a
great deal still remains to be done. For instance:
• While there is respectable economic growth, this has come with an
increase in inequality. The UNDP’s new inequality-adjusted Human
Development Index shows that the human development ratings of African
countries are still substantially lower, if adjusted for inequality in wealth
distribution.
• While efforts are being made to implement the AU Social Policy
Framework, a number of countries still lack mechanisms for social
protection, as basic social security is still outside the reach of many.

IV. SOME EMERGING LESSONS IN DEVELOPMENT
A few lessons have also come through on the continent’s development efforts.
Let me mention just a few:
• Given the results achieved in the MDGs, the post-MDG development
framework must continue on a framework of broad interventions to
enhance the enabling environment for inclusive growth. We need to
maintain sound macroeconomic policies, promote job-rich growth and
boost agricultural productivity while providing opportunities for
vulnerable groups, including strengthening gender equality and women
empowerment.
• We need to adopt development strategies that enhance the efficiency of
service delivery at all levels of government and improve ability to
monitor goals.
• We need to look inward as a continent to cultivate and strengthen
partnerships with the private sector, civil society and other development
stakeholders.
• There is a need to empower small scale farmers, revisit funding for
sustainable agriculture, increase social protection programmes and adopt
effective and responsive national food and nutrition policies.
• Other areas requiring attention are the need to pursue pro-poor growth,
enhance stakeholder participation in growth and development process,
diversify economic activities, raise equity in access to: employment
opportunities; productive resources such as land and credit; and basic
social services such as health, education, water and sanitation.

Also important is the need to enhance social protection in the management of
national development, and pursue robustdomestic resource
mobilization strategies.
• Results being achieved through the AU-NEPAD programme need to be
strengthened and sustained to effectively support economic growth with
social and environmental protection.

V. CONCLUSION

Let me conclude by re-emphasizing that the development of the continent rests
on a number of factors, among which are:
• Effective governance and institutional and policy framework as well as
programmes for sustainable development
• Enhanced leadership, strong political commitment and accountability for
results
• Human and institutional capacity development, with emphasis on
innovations and continuous improvement in systems, processes and
procedures.
• Improved financial and technical resources based on domestic sources.
• Improved quality of partnerships and shared responsibilities among
Africa’s development stakeholders and partners.
To each of these factors, I am deeply convinced that the AU-NEPAD
programme will continue to make significant contributions with measurable
impact.
I thank you all.

H.E. Dr.NkosazanaDlamini-Zuma,
Chairperson, African Union Commission