The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency (NEPAD) and the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Harare on December 20, 2017 with the intention to build partnerships that will support the continent’s socio-economic transformation
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency (NEPAD) and the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Harare on December 20, 2017 with the intention to build partnerships that will support the continent’s socio-economic transformation.
Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive of NEPAD and former Prime Minister of Niger, said that young people should be at the centre of all African development initiatives and that the demographic dividend must be harnessed in an attempt to prevent future socio-economic crises and disunity.
Youth unemployment is a significant issue for the continent, but there are growing opportunities in agribusiness, renewable energy and mining projects for the 450 million young Africans, provided adequate skills development is provided.
The Executive Secretary for ACBF, Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie, reiterated the need to provide young people with education and entrepreneurial skills, which he said should be a joint venture between government, higher learning institutions and the private sector.
In reference to the MoU, Nnadozie noted the various activities implemented by the ACBF and NEPAD previously to build partnerships supporting socio-economic transformation, though he urged both organisations to engage more strategically with Africa’s emerging capacity needs.
The MoU highlighted priority areas of mutual focus to strengthen capacity development in Africa for the implementation and analysis of Agenda 2063 and its 10-Year Plans, the commitment by African countries to support a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.
One priority will be the AU/NEPAD 2015-2025 Capacity Development Plan for Regional Economic Communities on Institutional Development (REC), which aims to effectively implement Regional Development Plans and Agenda 2063.
The two organisations will also jointly respond to findings from ACBF’s assessment of the REC Plan.
Another priority will be cooperation on the design and facilitation of regional and national technical skills development programmes, as well as on the publication of the ACBF Africa capacity reports and similar capacity development knowledge products.
Both institutions called for the mobilisation of funds and resources and for coordination amongst partnerships involved in the continent’s development.
Professor Nnadozie said: “We need [to support] skills and human capital development by ramping up vocational and technical training institutions.
“The problem of de-industrialisation will be addressed through skills development among the youths, bearing in mind the critical role of developing national and regional solutions towards addressing unemployment.”
