Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished delegates,

Allow me at the outset, to congratulate you and the other members of the Bureau on your well-deserved election to chair these important proceedings.  We are confident that under your skilful guidance, this session of the CPC will achieve significant results

Distinguished delegates will recall that in its resolution 57/7, the General Assembly endorsed the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as the framework for the international community’s support for African development, as well as outlining the substantive areas and modalities for providing such support. Subsequently, in its resolution 57/300, the Assembly endorsed the creation of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and entrusted to OSAA the role of coordinating reports and advocacy in support of NEPAD. The role of the Office in supporting NEPAD has been reaffirmed by the General Assembly in a series of subsequent resolutions.

Mr. Chairman,

OSAA very much appreciates the steadfast support that member states continue to provide, through the CPC, for its mission and mandate.  That political support greatly encourages us in our work, while the staff and financing mandated by you the member states have given us the means to execute our mandate effectively.  We are also grateful for the additional posts which you have made available, under the development pilar, to reinforce OSAA’s capabilities.

At this stage, Mr. Chairman, allow me to briefly recall the mandate of OSAA as stated in the bulletin establishing the office, as well as in the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly. 

The Office of the Special Adviser on Africa:

(a)Supports the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in their deliberations on Africa;

(b)Coordinates and guides the preparation of Africa-related reports and inputs, in particular support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) by the United Nations system and the international community, including the private sector and civil society;

(c)Coordinates the interdepartmental task force on African affairs, to ensure a coherent and integrated approach for United Nations support for Africa, including following up on the implementation of all global summit and conference outcomes related to Africa;

(d)Initiates reports on critical issues affecting Africa, and in particular on the interrelated issues of peace and development;

(e)Coordinates global advocacy in support of NEPAD;

(f) Acts as the focal point for NEPAD within the United Nations Secretariat at Headquarters.

As part of its mandate to initiate reports on critical issues affecting

Africa, OSAA has been looking at Africa’s relationship with new and emerging strategic partners such as the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil and Turkey.  OSAA is also paying increasing attention to South-South Cooperation and its potential to accelerate the development of the continent.

I would now like to say a few words about each of the three subprogrammes, but before doing so I would like to clarify the rationale behind this structure.  Subprogramme 1, namely coordination of global advocacy for, and support of NEPAD, is specifically the responsibility of OSAA because, as a New York based unit, it is the appropriate focal point for global advocacy for NEPAD.  At the regional level, mobilizing support for NEPAD is the specific mandate of the ECA which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, and is therefore ideally suited to handle this responsibility by virtue of its location, mission and mandate.  DPI’s responsibility for subprogramme 3 conforms to its mandate as the public communications voice of the entire UN system, and this is why DPI is also in charge of the magazine Africa Renewal and the overall public communications aspects of support of NEPAD.

Subprogramme 1:  Coordination of global advocacy for and support of NEPAD

With the effective integration of the NEPAD Secretariat into the structures and procedures of the African Union Commission, and the conversion of the Secretariat into the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, it is anticipated that by the 2012-2013 time frame, the focus will be firmly on actual implementation of the various NEPAD blueprints in such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, information and communication technology, respectively.  OSAA would therefore expand its efforts to mobilize international support for the implementation of the various NEPAD programmes, in the context of Africa’s efforts to attain the MDGs.

OSAA will also seek to raise international awareness of African development issues through advocacy and communication activities, participation in key forums, encouragement of UN system coordination and promotion of South-South cooperation.

At the same time, OSAA will be proactive in working closely with Member States, the African Union, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), the African Development Bank and the entire UN system.

OSAA will also make sure to engage with key stakeholders, such as civil society in general, and NGOs, and the private sector, and encourage their participation in the implementation of NEPAD.

The Office will continue to monitor the implementation of commitments made to Africa in the context of the 2005 World Summit Outcome and the international forums held since 2005, as well as the support given to Africa by new and emerging donors. In this regard, OSAA will conduct studies as a follow-up to the EGM held last year on Africa’s cooperation with new and emerging development partners.

The role of Programme 9 in promoting international support for NEPAD therefore remains crucial. In this context, it will be necessary to closely monitor the progress of Africa’s development partners in fulfilling the commitments they have made. As mandated by the Political Declaration on Africa’s Development Needs (GA resolution 63/1), OSAA is now working on a proposal for an improved monitoring mechanism to track the implementation of the commitments made by both the international community and African countries in support of Africa’s development. In this regard, the Office will analyze existing mechanisms to review and monitor the full and timely implementation of all major commitments related to Africa’s development.

By analyzing the strengths, the gaps and challenges within existing mechanisms, the office will make action-oriented recommendations on how to fine-tune, further coordinate and strengthen the monitoring of mutual commitments. On the basis of this review, a Secretary-General’s report will be submitted to the 65th session of the General Assembly.  In the 2012 – 2013 period, it is anticipated that OSAA will follow up on the outcome of this important process.

Another major activity of the Office is the comprehensive review of the recommendations contained in the 1998 Report of the Secretary-General on the Causes of Conflict and the Promotion of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa.

In 2009, the General Assembly, in its resolution 63/304 requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on the outcome of the review of the recommendations of his 1998 report, focusing on new and emerging challenges and persistent obstacles, as well as innovative solutions, gains and accomplishments, in addressing the causes of conflict and in the attainment of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa.   In the 2012 – 2013 period, OSAA will be responsible for the follow-up processes in the aftermath of the comprehensive review.

The outcomes of these two major processes are expected to inform the work of the Office in the 2012-2013 biennium, in line with the priorities of NEPAD and the African Union Commission.

Subprogramme 2: Regional coordination of and support for NEPAD (carried out by UNECA)

In the 2012 – 2013 period, OSAA will continue to work in close collaboration with ECA to ensure that the global advocacy work in New York in support of NEPAD is harmonized as appropriate with similar efforts at the regional level spearheaded by the ECA.  It is anticipated that ECA will continue to play its strategic role in support of the Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) and other arrangements in partnership with the African Union as part of the global effort to assist Africa in attaining the MDGs and implementing NEPAD.

Subprogramme 3: Public Information and awareness activities in support of NEPAD (implemented by DPI)

In the 2012 – 2013 period, OSAA will continue to partner with DPI to ensure that NEPAD and Africa’s development efforts in general are more widely known and better understood not only by Africa’s strategic partners, but by the wider international community.

Distinguished delegates,

I am now ready to answer your questions and provide whatever clarifications you may require.