HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES MEETING AT HEADQUARTERS
Press Release
DEV/2138
HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES MEETING AT HEADQUARTERS
19970317 NEW YORK, 17 March (DPCSD) -- In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of its sixth meeting, the Panel of High-level Personalities on African Development has commended African countries for their continued efforts to assume ownership of their development programmes and for their improved economic performance. It warned, however, that poverty has increased, and called upon African countries to carry out, concurrently with political and economic reforms, social programmes especially targeting the vulnerable groups.Convened by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Panel met at United Nations Headquarters on 13 March to review the major political and economic developments on the African continent in 1996. It also examined the issues of good governance, and agriculture and food security in the aftermath of the recent World Food Summit.
During the Panel's deliberations, the Secretary-General stressed his commitment to using the full capacity of the United Nations system to promote African development. In this respect, he briefly outlined the arrangements made, through the establishment of executive committees, to bring together the United Nations system particularly at field level.
The Secretary-General also told Panel members that peace, security, stability, human rights, good governance and sound economic policies are all essential elements of his vision of African development. He encouraged the Panel to continue its efforts to assist the United Nations in its work on African development.
The meeting was chaired by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, Minister for Overseas Development of the United Kingdom, at the request of the Secretary- General. The Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, Nitin Desai, made introductory remarks on the Secretary-General's behalf.
The Panel's other participants were: Botswana's Minister for Labour and Home Affairs, Bahiti K. Temane; Special Adviser of the Africa Society of Japan, Yasushi Kurokochi; Adviser to the President of Indonesia for South- South and North-South Cooperation, Mohammad Sadli; Director for Sub-Saharan Africa of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, R. Barthelt; Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, Vijay Makhan; Senior Adviser to the President of the African Development Bank,
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Delphin Rwegasira; and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Hazem El-Beblawi. The Assistant Administrator and Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, also participated in the deliberations. The Panel issued a series of recommendations to stimulate sustained economic growth, including boosting the agricultural sector, diversifying into other productive sectors, gaining improved market access and increased trading opportunities and promoting public savings. The need for increased private sector investment was noted, and for donors to target their assistance to building capacities in health care systems, education, water and physical infrastructure. A more flexible implementation of the recent debt-relief initiative relating to Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) was called for.
Acknowledging that progress has been made in putting in place popularly elected governments, the Panel recommended that good governance go beyond the electoral process to encompass such important elements as civic education, gender mainstreaming, the separation of powers, neutrality of the civil service and the accuracy and timeliness of central statistical information.
On the issue of food security, which it recognized as a national responsibility, the Panel urged a two-pronged approach: to increase food supplies and to improve access to food by the majority of the people by the creation of productive employment and an increase in income-earning opportunities. It also urged an emphasis on rural development and infrastructure, including food storage at national and regional levels, water resources and improved productivity.
The Panel expressed the hope that the progress achieved on Africa at the "Group of Seven" most industrialized countries summit meeting in Lyon should be further strengthened at the upcoming Group of Seven meeting in Denver, Colorado. The process leading up to the second Tokyo International Conference on African Development should also be used in that respect.
The Panel agreed to devote its next meeting to the role of private and foreign direct investment in Africa; the implementation of the HIPC initiative on debt; and development assistance for capacity-building in the framework of the New Global Partnership. It will also review progress on the implementation of the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa, as well as the issue of trade access in light of post-Lomé IV future arrangements.
In congratulating the Secretary-General on his election, the Panel pledged to provide him with all necessary support in his efforts to strengthen international cooperation in support of African development.
For further information on the Panel's meeting, contact the Office of the Special Coordinator for Africa and the Least Developed Countries, tels: (212) 963-5006 and (212) 963-2692.
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