Lusaka, July 17, 2022 – The Fourth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (MYCM) took place in Lusaka, Zambia. The MYCM is a meeting between the bureau of the AU Assembly and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with the participation of the Chairpersons of RECs, the AU Commission and Regional Mechanisms.

Convened under the theme, “Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development,” H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia stated that, “Africa is well-placed and endowed with resources to feed our people and supply excess food to other countries. There is no reason why an African should go to bed without food when we are rich with natural resources”

In the opening session of the meeting, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat noted that, “In 2001, Lusaka hosted the 37th Ordinary Session of the OAU, during which Heads of State and Government drew up the roadmap for the establishment of the African Union, laying the foundation leading to Agenda 2063.”

Speaking on inclusive development and the importance of coordination across regions, H.E. Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union stated that he is counting on the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, RECs and European Union partners to work on the EU-Africa Global Gateway for inclusive transformation. President Sall also remarked that, “Coordination is important in economic integration, for regional projects in Agenda 2063 with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) fulling its role in the transformation agenda.”

H.E. Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson for the African Union Commission gave a report on the outcomes of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, illuminating the fact that gains have been made on the continent in certain areas, including governance and the inclusion of women. However, she pointed out that more needs to be done as real challenges remain in key sectors such as agriculture.

“The Agenda 2063 Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan multistakeholder consultations will, for the first time, include Ministries of Finance and Planning. The second plan will also include foresight planning and scenario building,” Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD informed delegates at the MYCM.

This year’s MYCM agenda items were:

1. Status of regional integration in Africa: The meeting considered the 2022 Status of Integration Report.
2. Consideration and adoption of an effective division of labour between the AU, RECs/Regional Mechanisms and Member States on the remaining sectors was also made.
3. Launch of the inter-regional knowledge exchange (I-RECKE) on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention: I-RECKE is an institutional community of practice for intra-continental and cross-regional learning to build peace.
4. Tripartite free trade area between EAC, COMESA and SADC: The MYCM considered progress made so far since the agreement was reached on establishing the tripartite free trade area and identified its contribution to the continental agenda in light of the AfCFTA.
5. Impact of the Ukraine crisis on Africa: This was an important agenda item in the context of the skyrocketing increases already registered in the prices of natural gas, wheat and fertilizer.
6. Africa’s response to COVID-19: The importance of this item lies in the fact that, despite the progress made in the response to the pandemic, Member States still face challenges.
7. Draft Declaration: The MYCM considered its’ draft Declaration which emanated from the outcome of all the agenda items listed above.

Opening statements:

Opening Statement delivered by H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of The Republic of Zambia during the Opening Session of the 4th Mid-Year Coordination Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union: https://bit.ly/3AYsNyg

Discours de S.E. Macky Sall, Président en exercice de l'Union Africaine à l'occasion de la quatrième Réunion de Coordination de l'Union Africaine  https://bit.ly/3yL3ooL

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MEDIA CONTACT: Ms Mwanja Ng’anjo | Ag. Head of Communication |+27 11 256 3600 | Mwanjan@nepad.org