ADEA attends AU Meeting on Accountability Framework for CAP Post 2015 Agenda
A Regional Forum on Building an Accountability Framework for the Common African Position on the Post 2015 Development Agenda in Africa ended in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday, August 23, 2014. This forum which was attended by more than 100 experts and representatives from Governments, inter-Governmental and non-Governmental organizations, the United Nations, civil society organizations, the private sector, and Parliament, was a joint effort between the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). ADEA was represented at the meeting by its Coordinator for the Working Group on Communication for Education and Development (WG COMED), Lawalley Cole.
Many of the lead discussants and respondents focused on regional and sub-regional coordination mechanisms (RCM and SRCM) that include institutional mandates and progress, the interface between regional and sub-regional mechanism, the existing regional coordination mechanisms for Africa in relation to new opportunities for this Post-2015 accountability framework. Many of the experts focused on the need for countries to put in place mechanisms to ensure accountability. Emphasis was also put on having the concept of accountability incorporating both financial and management audits, periodic program reviews and project evaluation. It was also noted that accountability will help in areas such as minimizing the abuse of power, corruption and waste of resources, as well as ensuring the maximization of efficient, impact and cost effectiveness. Many of the experts also spoke on the issues of answerability, enforceability, and called for sanctions and punishment to be within the core elements of accountability.
In his intervention, the representative from ADEA focused on the role of media and communications within the accountability framework in Africa for the Post 2015 Development Agenda. The general assembly of the meeting agreed that this is an area that will require investigation and has urged that ADEA (now considered a key partner) work together with the AUC and the ECA in the coming months on this issue as well as other areas to advance the CAP/Post 2015 Agenda in Africa.
Ms. Amina Mohamed, Special Advisor to UN Secretary-General, Ban-Ki Moon, on Post-2015 Development Planning, and the African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs, H.E. Dr. Anthony M. Maruping, also played prominent roles during the consultation.
