The G8 and Africa: the case for action is compelling

On May 10, a delegation of African leaders led by the Chairperson of the Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee of NEPAD, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, met the leaders of the G8 at their Summit Meeting in Georgia, USA. This was the fifth such meeting.

The first of these meetings took place in Tokyo, on the eve of the 2000 Okinawa, Japan Summit. The next three were in Genoa, Italy in 2001, Kananaskis, Canada in 2002, and Evian, France in 2003.

The 2000 and 2001 Summits discussed the development priorities the African continent had set itself. This process also involved discussion of how Africa and the G8 could cooperate in a spirit of partnership to pursue the implementation of the African priorities.

At the 2002 Kananaskis Summit, the G8 adopted the "G8 Africa Action Plan", G8 AAP. This constituted a detailed set of G8 commitments in support of the African development programme.

The preamble of the Action Plan reads: "We, the Heads of State and Government of eight major industrialised democracies and the Representatives of the European Union, meeting with African Leaders at Kananaskis, welcome the initiative taken by African States in adopting the New Partnership for Africa's Development, a bold and clear-sighted vision of Africa's development.

"We accept the invitation from African Leaders, extended first at Genoa last July and reaffirmed in the NEPAD, to build a new partnership between the countries of Africa and our own, based on mutual responsibility and respect. The NEPAD provides an historic opportunity to overcome the obstacles to development in Africa. Our Africa Action Plan is the G8's initial response, designed to encourage the imaginative effort that underlies the NEPAD and to lay a solid foundation for future cooperation."

Because of the seriousness of this commitment, the meeting during the Evian Summit undertook a review of what the Partners had done to meet the commitments contained in NEPAD and the G8 AAP, consistent with the framework of "mutual responsibility" mentioned in the G8 AAP.

But because of the detailed work that still needed to be done and the nature of the African development challenge, the meeting also decided that the meeting during the Georgia, USA Summit would not carry out the kind of review conducted at Evian. To allow for reasonable time to implement the agreed programmes, it decided that the next comprehensive review would be undertaken at the meeting that would held during the 2005 UK G8 Summit.

But we must also make the important point that as a result of a decision taken during the Genoa Summit, a continuation committee of the G8 was formed prior to the Kananaskis Summit, made up of the Personal Representatives of the G8 Heads of State and Government. This Committee of Personal Representatives (CPR) was given the responsibility to work with the NEPAD Steering Committee (NSC) on a permanent basis, which it has done since 2001.

During a Press Conference after the Georgia Summit, President Obasanjo explained the approach taken by the African delegation at the Summit, which, as had been decided at Evian, would not undertake a comprehensive review of work done during the preceding year.

Accordingly, the African delegation had decided to focus on a limited number of strategic issues. All of these were part of both NEPAD and the G8 AAP. We therefore sought to focus on ensuring that further action was taken to implement the general undertakings that had already been agreed with regard to these specific matters.

This coincided with the approach adopted by the Summit Host, President George W. Bush. In this regard, we must report the appreciation expressed by the African leaders for the invitation extended to the African delegation by President Bush, which ensured the uninterrupted continuation of the Africa-G8 dialogue at the highest level.

We mention this because in terms of convention, the Summit Host is free to decide who should be invited to interact with the G8 Summit. All the African leaders were fully conscious of some of the principal issues occupying the attention of the US government. These, of course, include Iraq, Israel-Palestine, the UN and the world economy.

The African leaders therefore appreciated the fact that despite the importance and urgency of these issues, nevertheless President Bush, supported by his colleagues, decided that it was necessary to continue the dialogue with Africa. We also welcomed the seriousness with which the G8 leaders responded to the matters we presented to them.

These were:

• reaffirmation of the continuing relevance of, and commitment of the G8 to the AAP;
• training and logistical support for the African Peace and Security Council; successful conclusion of the WTO Doha Development Round on international trade as originally planned;
• increasing resource flows into Africa by addressing such issues as the African debt and increased support for the World Bank, to enable it to expand its grant and soft-loan financing of African development;
• support for the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme, already adopted by the AU as an important component part of NEPAD;
• similar support for the infrastructure projects already identified through NEPAD;
• strengthening Africa's capacity to prepare the detailed projects and business plans to translate the agreed programmes into implementable projects;
• enhancing Africa's participation in the management structures especially of the IMF, as decided by the African Ministers of Finance; and,
• ensuring that the working group constituted by the NEPAD Steering Committee (NSC) and the G8 Committee of Personal Representatives (CPR) works effectively for the implementation of all decisions taken at the Africa-G8 Summits, including those agreed at the Georgia Summit.

In response to our first point, relating to the AAP, the G8 agreed that the NSC and the CPR should work together to ensure proper coordination of the African development assistance programmes of the G8 so that they are consistent with the NEPAD and AAP programmes and policies.

The G8 welcomed the progress made by the African Union on the issue of peace and stability, leading to the establishment and launch of the Peace and Security Council (PSC). It agreed to support the PSC by helping to meet its training and logistical requirements relating, among others, to the African Standby Force. As agreed, the NSC and the CPR will work on the details of these requirements.

In its public statement in this regard, the G8 undertook to "train and, where appropriate, equip a total of approximately 75,000 troops worldwide by 2010, in line with commitments undertaken at Kananaskis and Evian. This effort will have a sustained focus on Africa and other nations that can contribute to peace support operations both in Africa and elsewhere."

The G8 recommitted itself to the realisation of the objectives of the WTO Doha Development Round, within the agreed timeframe. They agreed that among other things, this Development Round should focus on meeting Africa's development needs. This will entail addressing the challenge of agricultural subsidies. In this context, President Bush also undertook to work with the US Congress for the extension of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has ensured better African access into the US market.

In its public statement the G8 said it "is committed to expanding economic growth, development, and opportunity by achieving ambitious results in the global trade negotiations, the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) of the WTO. Working in cooperation with other WTO members, we are determined to move expeditiously before the end of July to complete the frameworks on key issues that will put these far-reaching negotiations on track toward a rapid and successful conclusion. Therefore, we direct our ministers and call on all WTO members to finalize the frameworks by July to put the WTO negotiations back on track so that we can expeditiously complete the Doha Development Agenda."

The G8 also accepted that there was an urgent need to increase capital flows into Africa. The meeting agreed that the NSC and the CPR would elaborate a practical programme to address the related issues of the African debt burden, grant and inexpensive financing of African development, and proposals made by the British and French governments to generate additional international development funds, including private sector capital.

Decisions on this programme, focused on increasing resource flows into Africa, should be finalised at the 2005 G8 UK Summit.

Related to this, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair reported in the British House of Commons after the US Summit that, "a major part of the agenda for our G8 Summit next year will be the work of the Commission for Africa that we have established." Obviously, this Commission will work with the NSC-CPR.

Among other things, the G8 also said it would "work with other donors and the international financial institutions to extend the sunset date of the HIPC initiative until December 31, 2006 and to provide the necessary financing for completion of the initiative, including topping up where appropriate. (It will also) consider measures that can further help the poorest countries address the sustainability of their debt."

The African delegation expressed its appreciation for the funds provided by Canada to assist NEPAD to prepare the detailed projects that would translate the NEPAD and G8 AAP vision into implementable programmes. It called on the other G8 members to follow the example of Canada in this regard.

The NSC and the CPR will work on the details of this funding. These funds will help NEPAD to prepare the necessary investment plans relating among other things to the implementation of our Agriculture and Infrastructure programmes.

Among other things in this regard, the G8 said "we support fully the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the principles and goals set out in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme."

The issue of better African representation in the management structures of the IMF will be pursued within the structures of this multilateral institution.

The G8 agreed that we should work together to ensure effective cooperation between the NSC and CPR. This is of critical importance because it provides us with the mechanism to implement decisions taken at the annual Summit Meetings. It will therefore make it possible for us to follow up on the decisions taken during the Georgia, USA Summit.

In this regard, we should also point out that it was also decided at the 2003 Evian Summit that other development partners, members of the OECD, should be invited to join the working group composed of the NSC and CPR, to form the African Partnership Forum (APF). The APF has already had two meetings, and will therefore meet to follow up on the decisions taken at the recent Summit.

As was stated in the Africa Action Plan, the G8 accepted Africa's view that "NEPAD provides an historic opportunity to overcome the obstacles to development in Africa." The G8 then went on to say, "our Africa Action Plan is the G8's initial response, designed to encourage the imaginative effort that underlies the NEPAD and to lay a solid foundation for future cooperation."

The recent meeting between the G8 and African leaders at Sea Island, Georgia, USA constituted further concrete expression of this "future cooperation". This Africa-G8 cooperation represents an unprecedented experiment to build a partnership between the developed North and the developing South. Correctly, the partners have proceeded step by step, informed by a common desire to produce meaningful results.

In this process both partners have learnt and are learning many things about how to work together in a spirit of partnership. They continue to cooperate on the basis of an agreed programme of action. They have developed the institutional framework to enable them to translate their decisions into practical programmes.

The challenge they face is to take the next step to implement the agreements concluded at the US and previous Summit Meetings, remaining committed to the perspective of a partnership based on "mutual responsibility and respect".

Since we first met the G8 leaders in 2000, sufficient ground has been covered to create the possibility for the review process during the 2005 UK G8 Summit to demonstrate that the partnership between Africa and the G8 has lived up to the expectations of the millions of Africans and the citizens of the developed North.

These masses share the hope that there will emerge a new world committed to the objective of securing a better life for all, especially the poorest of the poor in contemporary human society.

As was said in the G8 Africa Action Plan adopted in 2002, "the case for action is compelling. Despite its great potential and human resources, Africa continues to face some of the world's greatest challenges. The many initiatives designed to spur Africa's development have failed to deliver sustained improvements to the lives of individual women, men and children throughout Africa.

"The New Partnership for Africa's Development offers something different. Together, we have an unprecedented opportunity to make progress on our common goals of eradicating extreme poverty and achieving sustainable development."

International affairs

Africa remains central focus of foreign policy

The future of our country is inextricably linked to the future of the African continent and that of our neighbours in Southern Africa. Africa therefore remains the central area of focus in the conduct of our foreign policy.

The national vision of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society is also relevant to our vision for Africa. Coupled with this is the understanding that socio-economic development cannot take place without political peace and stability. South Africa's efforts are therefore directed at creating an environment in which all states on the continent will achieve their full potential.

This comprises two central tasks. The first of these is the strengthening of continental and regional structures, in particular the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the implementation of key socio-economic development programmes like the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The second task is our contribution as South Africa to peace, stability and security on the Continent.

African Union

Good progress is being made in the operationalisation of the structures and organs of the African Union, which was itself launched in Durban in 2002. South Africa has engaged in the formulation of the strategic framework of the AU Commission, which would serve as the basis for the Commission to implement a five-year workplan.

The Pan African Parliament was successfully launched in March this year in Addis Ababa. Now bold action is required to ensure that South Africa hosts the permanent seat of the parliament.

South Africa has ratified the Protocol on the African Court of Human and People's Rights. At present, South Africa is engaged in the process of nominating judges to serve on the Court. Parliament will be requested to make a declaration in accordance with Article 34(6) of the Protocol to allow individuals and NGOs to submit cases directly to the Court. Both the protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Protocol on the African Court of Justice were signed by South Africa in March.

One of the challenges for the AU is the need to involve civil society in continental processes. In this regard the Constitutive Act makes provision for the establishment of Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).

The South African Chapter was launched with nine civil society organisations elected as a Secretariat. These organisations were from sectors representing women, youth, religious groups, organised labour, non-governmental organisations, lawyers, cultural groups and people with disabilities. The Draft Statutes of ECOSOCC were discussed and proposed amendments are to be submitted to the AU Summit in July. Once ratified, each AU member country would need to elect three representatives to the continental body.

The AU Peace and Security Council Protocol entered into force in December 2003 and was formally launched in Addis Ababa on Africa Day, 25 May, this year. It is comprised of fifteen member states, five of whom will serve for a three-year period and ten who will serve for a two-year period each.

The current members are South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ethiopia and Gabon, who will serve three-year terms, while Lesotho, Mozambique, Cameroon, Congo, Kenya, Sudan, Libya, Ghana, Senegal and Togo will serve two-year terms.

The adoption of the Rules of Procedure in March gave further impetus to the above mandate and is a milestone in the evolution of a clear framework to address the continental security and stability situation. It also facilitates the participation of non-state actors and civil society in conflict prevention, management and resolution. As a collective security and early warning arrangement, the Peace and Security Council will allow for a timely and effective response to conflict and crisis situations in Africa.

In terms of the statutes and provisions of the Council, all African countries should establish their own Early Warning Centres. There should also be a Continental Early Warning Centre by 2008. There is broad agreement that these centres should be all-encompassing to include the capacity to predict famine, natural disasters, signs of genocide and instability. While South Africa is still developing its own Early Warning Centre, it is participating in regional and continental planning sessions.

There are a number of AU structures that are still to be operationalised. These include the Panel of the Wise, an advisory body which will be composed of five highly respected African personalities from various segments of society who have made outstanding contributions to the cause of peace, security and development on the continent. They shall be selected by the Chairperson of the Commission after consultation with the member states concerned, on the basis of regional representation and appointed by the Assembly to serve for a period of three years.

The AU Peace and Security Council Protocol makes provision for the creation of an African Standby Force (ASF). Not all details of the ASF have been finalised, but it would entail the creation of five standby brigades, one in each region of the AU. The AU Assembly agreed in Sirte, Libya that the ASF be operationalised over a period of ten years.

The Common African Defence and Security Policy was adopted in February 2004. It is the intention that this common understanding of defence and security will inform all future developments relating to issues like non-aggression pacts and mutual defence pacts. A decision was taken instructing the AU Commission to develop a non-aggression pact.

South Africa continues to be involved in relentless efforts to contribute to peace and stability in the continent. These efforts have been made through various processes including bilateral means, the Africa Union and the United Nations. The countries to which South Africa has made contributions include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Sudan and Angola.

NEPAD

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) process has moved from the conceptualisation and strategic planning phases into the implementation phase. Much work is being done within government around NEPAD, by the respective departments and public enterprises, as well as by the private sector and civil society.

Currently, these efforts are not being optimally coordinated at a central level, monitored, measured or reinforced, resulting in a possible duplication of work, dilution of efforts and frustration on the part of many stakeholders, particularly the private sector, who are seeking entry points into the NEPAD process. This problem is even more acute at the regional and continental level. The South African government is urgently working at strengthening the coordination of South Africa's involvement in the implementation of NEPAD for maximum benefit of all stakeholders, including government, Parliament, the public enterprises, the private sector, civil society.

Considering South Africa's position of relative strength on the continent and in international affairs, the country has a responsibility to play a leadership role in Africa's socio-economic development agenda in terms of developing policy, correctly channeling resources, supporting implementation and directing the NEPAD process, as well as to play a role in the international arena in negotiating a new partnership paradigm and ending Africa's marginalisation in the global community

Various departments are closely involved in the implementation of the five NEPAD priority areas for socio-economic development, namely infrastructure, agriculture, environment and tourism, information and communications technology, health and human resources, and science and technology.

The inaugural meeting of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Forum of participating states was held in February 2004 in Kigali, Rwanda. The review mechanism documents and institutions are now in place and the secretariat is based in Midrand. Seventeen countries have signed up to the APRM to date. It has been decided that South Africa will be peer reviewed in the first quarter of 2005. Preparations for the review are underway and the Presidency has been identified as the coordination point in this regard.

SADC

South Africa has been engaged in the finalisation of the restructuring of SADC. The restructuring of SADC has resulted in the creation of new departments and units in the SADC Secretariat; the creation of a monitoring mechanism through the Integrated Committee of Ministers; the creation of SADC National Committees in member states; and the development of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) that will focus on the activities of SADC over a 15-year period based on goals to be achieved in the development of the region.

There is also need for the acceleration of the implementation of the new organisational structure and to strengthen the SADC Secretariat. A well capacitated and fully functioning SADC is very critical as all regional economic communities are being rationalised to be implementing agencies of NEPAD programmes.

As chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security from August 2004, South Africa has an ideal opportunity to contribute meaningfully in strengthening SADC as a whole. The Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence are currently working on a strategy to support South Africa as chair of the organ. A critical task facing South Africa as chair is to ensure the implementation of the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ by all SADC members.

Another broad task of the Department of Foreign Affairs is the strengthening of bilateral relations and the execution of the cabinet decision of 2002 to ensure representation in each African country over the next five years.

Since 1994, South Africa representation in Africa has increased markedly, with 32 resident Missions, 15 of which were opened in the past five years. The country also needs to strengthen overall trade with Africa giving attention to the strengthening of infrastructure, including land and sea transport connections with the continent.

** This was adapted from a Parliamentary Media Briefing given by the Department of Foreign Affairs, 24 May 2004.

More Information:

• Parliamentary Media Briefings, May 2004

Return to Index