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Africa: Regional Executives Statement
Africa: Regional Executives Statement
Date distributed (ymd): 980209
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +economy/development+ +security/peace+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains the text of the Joint Statement made by the Chief
Executives of the Organisation for African Unity, United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa, and African Development Bank at the end of their
meeting in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire, on 23 January 1998.
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JOINT STATEMENT
OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THE OAU, ECA AND ADB
Introduction
1. We, the Chief Executives of the Organization of African Unity (OAU),
the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Development
Bank (ADB), met in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire on 23 January, 1998, for our
8th Consultative Meeting. We set out below our views on recent developments
in the region, and also indicate the measures we believe our countries
should consider to assure the economic and social development of the people
of Africa in peace and stability.
Political Developments
2. In reviewing the political, social, and economic progress in the
region in the last few years, we note, with satisfaction, the strong commitment
to political stability, pluralism, and democracy by an increasing number
of countries. Nonetheless, we are concerned by the continued instability
and conflict in some of our countries and their cost in human and material
terms, as well as their adverse impact on economic and social progress.
We are, however, heartened by the efforts being made by African leaders
to take action to find African solutions to the various conflicts in the
region. We are also greatly encouraged by the role that the institutions
of civil society are playing.
3. We wish, in this connection, to underscore the need to take measures
to avoid the recurrence of conflicts, provide humanitarian assistance,
and mobilize resources for post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation.
This is, in particular, the case with the Great Lakes Region. We wish to
emphasize here the importance of adequate support by the international
donor community to help this region, as well as other regions emerging
from periods of severe strife and conflict. With a view to coordinating
our efforts, and bringing to the attention of the international community
the need for action in this area, we have decided to establish a committee
to recommend practical measures for our consideration.
4. Sustaining the political, economic, and social progress that our
countries have made calls for promoting the practice of good governance.
We are, in this respect, encouraged by the increasing commitment in the
region to this goal. We, nonetheless, urge our countries to continue to
promote good governance, uphold the rule of law, and fight the scourge
of corruption, as an integral part of their efforts to promote socio-economic
progress in the continent.
Economic and Social Trends
5. We are pleased to note that, in comparison to the first half of this
decade, the economic performance of a large number of African countries
has, in the past few years, been quite encouraging. While in part underpinned
by a favourable external environment, the progress being made is, nonetheless,
mainly a reflection of the major economic reforms undertaken by a large
number of countries. We urge our countries to deepen and sustain these
reforms, as difficult as they sometimes are.
6. We also urge our countries to pursue policies to accelerate economic
growth, as this is essential to improve the social conditions of the large
number of Africans who live in absolute poverty. In this regard, our countries
will also need to create an environment conducive to private sector development,
as well as for attracting foreign capital flows, which still account for
less than two percent of global flows.
7. An issue of great concern to our three institutions is the external
debt of African countries, which is hampering their growth. This is estimated
to have reached $315 billion in 1997, with the debt service of countries
accounting, on average, for a quarter of export earnings. We are encouraged
by the start in the implementation of various debt-reduction initiatives,
including the Highly Indebted Poor Countries' Initiative (HIPC) -- a joint
initiative of the Bretton Woods Institutions, the African Development Bank
(ADB), and bilateral donors -- as well as the Special Financing Mechanism
(SFM) of the ADB. Nonetheless, we urge the international community to adopt
a more flexible stance, and to consider additional initiatives, as well
as ensure that adequate resources are made available to resolve the debt
problem of African countries.
8. With respect to regional co-operation and integration, we note the
encouraging steps recently taken by countries and sub-regions. Nonetheless,
much needs to be done to make this goal a reality. Accordingly, we have
renewed our commitment to jointly work together to assist our countries
in the rationalization of the activities of Regional Economic Communities
(RECs), the harmonization of policies at the regional level, the mobilization
of resource for regional integration, and the promotion of a greater role
for the private sector. We have also decided to establish a joint working
group to coordinate the activities of the three institutions in this area.
9. And in the light of the important role of air transport (and the
transport and telecommunication infrastructures in general) to regional
integration efforts, we have agreed to sensitize our governments on the
importance of taking various measures to bring about a reform of the industry
and to develop safe, accessible and affordable air service. There is also
a need to gradually liberalize traffic rights within Africa and to promote
cooperation in the air transport industry. With a view to achieving this
goal and mobilizing the requisite resources, we have agreed to work closely
with other concerned regional and international organizations.
10. While urging our countries to pursue domestic economic policies
conducive to rapid economic growth and poverty alleviation, we wish to
stress the continuing important role of external concessional resources.
We thus urge the international donor community to continue to provide adequate
replenishment to such funds as the African Development Fund (ADF), the
International Development Association (IDA), and the Enhanced Structural
Adjustment Facility (ESAF). And, cognizant of the need to ensure that African
countries have adequate access to existing resources, such as the European
Development Fund (EDF) under the Lome Convention and the Global Environmental
Facility (GEF), we have agreed that our three institutions will cooperate
to provide the requisite technical assistance, as well as initiate capacity-building
measures, to enhance the negotiating capability of African countries.
11. We are encouraged by the increasing interest shown in the development
of Africa as reflected in such initiatives as the System-Wide Special Initiative
for Africa of the United Nations as well as those of the OECD countries.
In this context, we note that Africa's developmental needs will be discussed
at the second Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD
II). We expect the Conference to be open to all African countries and to
take up a number of important issues relating to the development prospects
of the region. We have also agreed that our three institutions will undertake
preparatory work in four important areas, namely, the continued availability
of concessional resources to African countries, international market access
for African goods and products, private sector participation in infrastructural
development, and conflict management, peace, and development.
Joint Secretariat
12. To enhance coordination and a better exchange of information between
our three institutions, we have agreed to strengthen our Joint Secretariat.
In addition, we have agreed to deepen our working relations by setting
up working groups, by encouraging contacts between our various organizational
units, and promoting co-operation at the expert level.
13. In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to develop further a common
approach, as well as deepen our collaborative efforts, to assist our countries
meet better the challenges of economic and social development.
Signed:
- Salim A. Salim, Secretary General, OAU
- K.Y. Amoako, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary, ECA
- Omar Kabbaj, President, African Development Bank
Abidjan 23 January 1998
For more information, please contact:
Peter K.A. da Costa, Senior Communication Adviser
UN Economic Commission for Africa
P.O. Box 3001 (official) or 3005 (personal)
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Tel: +251-1-51 58 26 (direct) or:
+251-1-51 72 00 ext. 35486
Fax: +251-1-51-22-33
E-Mail: ipspdc@harare.iafrica.com,
daCosta@un.org,ecainfo@un.org
Web: http://www.un.org/depts/eca
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the Africa
Policy Information Center (APIC), the educational affiliate of the Washington
Office on Africa. APIC's primary objective is to widen the policy debate
in the United States around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa,
by concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant information and
analysis usable by a wide range of groups individuals.
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