Harare to host third Capacity Development Forum on ‘Developing Capacity for Africa’s Economic and Social Transformation’
Strong, successful, self-sufficient nations are generally characterised as those that build institutions and practices that allow a people to govern themselves in peaceful and prosperous ways. Effective leadership is critical to this success, as is strategy, vision, partnership and people. Within a few decades Africa will be home to a quarter of the world’s population. In order for the continent to deliver on its ambitious but pragmatic socioeconomic development agenda, Agenda 2063, robust systems, financing mechanisms and policies are needed.
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) established a quarter of a century ago, has a long term strategy to build human, institutional and ‘soft’ capacities to contribute actively to the continent’s structural transformation agenda. Since its inception, ACBF has invested over$1 billion, building institutions in 45 countries and supporting Regional Economic Communities, continental organisations and over 41 Policy Units and Think Tanks. With its emphasis on training and educating economists, financial and development experts, its emphasis has always been to equip Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, Central Banks, Offices of Statistics with the skills and capabilities to develop sound macroeconomic management and financial control mechanisms. The Foundation has more recently turned its attention to private sector and civil society capacity building, with an emphasis on women empowering organisations.
Professor Emmanuel Nnadozie, Executive Secretary of the ACBF believes that sustainable development can only be achieved through building skills, knowledge and capabilities of African individuals and institutions, and ensuring that capacity in an integral part of pan-African policies. Such skills need to be retained and harmonised for utilisation on the continent.
Speaking ahead of the 3rd Capacity Development Forum (CDF) to be held in ACBF’s host country, Zimbabwe from 3-5 May, Nnadozie said that about 500 delegates were expected in Harare to discuss how to ‘Develop Capacity for Africa’s Economic and Social Transformation’.
“Delegates gathering in Harare as part of our 25th Anniversary will address several important issues, with a view to moving the debate from dialogue to action. This forum will look at how Africa can innovate, emulate, replicate in order to transforms itself and make a significant impact in building the critical skills that we need. Ministers of Finance and Planning, multilateral agencies, funding partners, academics and representatives from ACBF-supported institutions will consider the capacity dimensions on Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular emphasis on the role of governments, development partners, civil society, private sector, training institutions and the media in supporting the development of capacity for Africa’s economic and social transformation”.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hon. Patrick Chinamasa, will co-convene the Forum. There will be several thematic side events, including a session on the role of science, innovation and technology in Africa’s social and economic transformation. This is organised by the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), based in Tanzania.
The African Development Bank will host a parallel event on the role of Development Banks in Africa’s social and economic transformation, while HESPI, the Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute will hold an event on the role of Think Tanks in Africa’s sustainable and inclusive social and economic development. The Uganda-based Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa will examine how African governments can develop capacity for effective tobacco control. Other side events include two case studies – one from Zimbabwe, looking at evidence-based planning for social and economic transformation and another from Uganda, on the role of Parliaments in implementing Africa’s transformation agenda.
Continuing on the transformation theme, Professor Nnadozie went on to highlight how some of the world’s fastest growing economies have achieved their success through strategic investments in human, institutional and organizational capacities.
“The top performing emerging economies, including Brazil, China, United Arab Emirates, India and Malaysia have all implemented long-term economic transformation agendas, supported by the development and implementation of effective socio-economic policies. Many African economies such as Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire and Rwanda are also experiencing rapid growth. What sets them apart is the focus on building sustainable capacity for effective development and their commitment both to effective policy formulation and policy implementation”.
He concluded: “25 years is a strategic milestone for us. We have held two previous Capacity Development Forums – in Mali and Mozambique. This third Forum presents us with an opportunity to reposition ourselves as the continental leaders in spearheading a new Capacity Development Platform for coordinating capacity building on the continent. We need an Africa that is capable of achieving its own development and it is time to stop talking the talk and start walking the talk - we should no longer be talking about what needs to be done, but how exactly we are going to do it”.
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For more information, please contact:
Susan Mwiti,
Communication Consultant
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)
2 Fairbairn Drive, Mt. Pleasant
P.O. Box 1562
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel. +263 4304663, 0782 762 544
Email: [email protected]
Note to editors
About the African Capacity Building Foundation
Established in 1991, ACBF builds human and institutional capacity for good governance and economic development in Africa. To date the Foundation has empowered people in governments, parliaments, civil society, private sector and higher education institutions in more than 45 countries and 6 regional economic communities. ACBF supports capacity development with grants, technical assistance and knowledge across Africa.
The establishment of ACBF was in response to the severity of Africa’s capacity needs, and the challenges of investing in indigenous human capital and institutions in Africa. ACBF interventions are premised on four principles: the centrality of capacity to the development process in Africa; the critical role of a partnership and demand driven approach in tackling capacity challenges; African ownership and leadership in the capacity development process; and a systematic, sequenced and coordinated approach to the capacity development process.
For further information go to: www.acbf-pact.org
