Message of solidarity by H.E Nardos Berkele Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD
Right Honourable President of the Pan-African Parliament,
Distinguished Members of the Bureau,
Honourable Members of the Pan-African Parliament,
Excellencies, Ambassadors, and Representatives of Member States,
Esteemed Colleagues, Partners, and Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an immense honour to stand before this esteemed body, the voice of the African people, at a pivotal moment in our continent's journey.
We gather here, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, to reflect on our shared aspirations and to forge a stronger path towards the Africa We Want.
Just recently, at the Mid-Year Coordination Summit in Malabo, we engaged in profound discussions on the imperative of integration and development.
The consensus was clear: to truly advance, our Union must move beyond rhetoric to decisive action.
We acknowledged the complex global environment – marked by constrained financing, tightening trade tariffs, supply chain disruptions, debt distress, and geopolitical volatility – all of which reshape our development landscape.
Yet, these challenges must not deter us; instead, they must galvanise us to look inward, to leverage our collective strength, and to accelerate our progress.
The Malabo discussions also underscored the critical need for enhanced coordination, alignment, and synergy across all AU institutions, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Development Partners and Member States.
We must formalise joint work planning, support robust resource mobilisation efforts, and strengthen engagement at all levels to deepen our presence and technical support on the ground.
This spirit of collaborative action, rooted in the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity, is what the Union needs to advance.
Globally, the development discourse is shifting. There is a growing recognition that traditional aid models alone are insufficient to address the complex, multi-dimensional challenges of our time.
The ongoing discussions all point to a new paradigm: one that prioritises domestic resource mobilisation, equitable access to global capital, impact-driven partnerships, and country-led development.
The world is increasingly interconnected, and Africa's development trajectory is inextricably linked to global stability and prosperity.
We are not merely recipients of development; we are active participants and innovators, shaping the global agenda and advocating for a more just and equitable world order.
This requires us to be strategic, to be unified, and to be resolute in our pursuit of self-reliance.
Excellencies, at the heart of our collective ambition lies Agenda 2063 – "The Africa We Want."
This comprehensive framework, with its Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP), is our guiding star, outlining a prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
AUDA-NEPAD, as Africa's premier development agency, is entrusted with the critical mandate of translating this vision into tangible results.
Despite the prevailing headwinds, we are working tirelessly to bridge the gaps and deliver on the promise of Agenda 2063.
Our efforts are multi-faceted:
1. The African Union Development Fund (AUDF)
To close the staggering USD 3.3 trillion financing gap associated with the STYIP, AUDA-NEPAD—together with the African Union Commission and the Committee of 15 Ministers of Finance—has designed the African Union Development Fund (AUDF).
This Fund represents a historic shift. For the first time, Africa will have a continent-owned financing platform anchored in sovereign commitments and focused on investing in Africa’s own priorities.
Endorsed at the ministerial level and championed during the high-level meeting in Luanda, the AUDF is now on track for formal adoption in 2026.
We envision a Fund that will:
- Leverage Member State contributions to unlock larger flows of concessional and blended finance;
- Provide predictable financing for priority projects in health, infrastructure, education, agriculture, and energy;
- Mobilise capital from within the continent while building investor confidence from global development partners.
2. The Africa Team: Regional Investment for Collective Impact
Complementing the Fund, we have formed the Africa Team—a coalition of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, and Member States—tasked with developing and coordinating a continental pipeline of bankable regional projects.
Today, the Africa Team has mapped and prioritised over 300 projects, valued at USD 500 billion, cutting across infrastructure, agriculture, health, and energy.
These projects:
- Have regional significance;
- Offer strong returns in job creation and economic competitiveness;
- Are designed to attract scalable financing through PPPs, development banks, and sovereign wealth funds.
By convening joint investment platforms and unifying fragmented project pipelines, the Africa Team ensures alignment and coherence across actors—something we must all insist on moving forward.
3. AUDA-NEPAD Country Footprint Presence: Bringing Delivery Closer to Citizens
As part of our institutional reform and delivery focus, AUDA-NEPAD has initiated the Country Footprint Presence model.
This demand-driven approach places AUDA-NEPAD offices directly within Member States to provide embedded technical assistance, coordinated planning, and closer follow-up on programme execution.
We now have strong expressions of interest from 11 countries, including Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Host Country Agreements have been signed with Congo Brazzaville and Morocco, and operational offices already exist in Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.
These offices are funded and owned by host governments—demonstrating national ownership and sustainability—and serve to deepen engagement, fast-track programme rollout, and enhance alignment between national and continental priorities.
We see this not only as a delivery tool, but also as an opportunity for parliamentary oversight, as it allows for greater local engagement and transparent tracking of AUDA-NEPAD's work on the ground.
Honourable Members, AUDA-NEPAD is also driving implementation across key sectors, through flagship programmes and direct support to Member States. These results reflect our commitment to practical, country-led, and people-centred development.
1. Health Systems and Pharmaceutical Autonomy
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the depth of Africa’s health system vulnerabilities and its overdependence on external supply chains. In response, AUDA-NEPAD has prioritised a holistic approach to health resilience:
- Under the AU Health and Development Roadmap, we are scaling the 24 Priority Medical Products Initiative, a flagship intervention to promote pharmaceutical self-sufficiency.
- With a USD 10 million pledge from Tunisia, and strong alignment with the African Medicines Agency (AMA), this initiative is strengthening Africa’s regulatory environment and manufacturing capacity.
- AUDA-NEPAD has operationalised Africa’s first AI-driven pharmacovigilance platform, now deployed in 21 countries, with USD 14 million in catalytic investment to ensure real-time monitoring of medicine safety.
These efforts are not only improving health outcomes—they are building sovereignty and preparedness for future public health emergencies.
2. Youth Employment and Skills Development
Africa’s youth population will double by 2050, and our collective prosperity depends on their inclusion in the economy. We have intensified investments in skills, entrepreneurship, and employability:
- Through the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), we have invested EUR 100 million across 48 TVET projects, tailored to local market demand.
- The Energize Africa initiative is equipping youth with critical digital and green skills, supported by the Africa Critical Skills Bank (ACSB)—a real-time labour intelligence tool. Initial focus areas include agro-processing and infrastructure.
- Our Digital Transformation programmes, supported by EUR 66 million, aim to unlock 230 million emerging digital job opportunities through foundational skills, entrepreneurship incubation, and connectivity access.
Additionally, we launched the WorldSkills Africa Desk, fostering continental collaboration on technical and vocational excellence.
3. Infrastructure and Regional Connectivity
Connectivity lies at the heart of Africa’s integration agenda. Under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Priority Action Plan II, we continue to drive catalytic projects:
- 21 priority infrastructure projects have been validated and packaged for financing.
- The Kenya-Uganda Angololo project, a transboundary water and irrigation project, has reached financial close, with strong regional benefits in agriculture and trade.
- We are strengthening energy cooperation through the Egypt-Sudan electricity interconnector, and have launched Phase III of the Continental Power Systems Master Plan (CMP).
- CMP pre-feasibility studies—funded by the EU and Germany—are advancing 20 energy projects, while the Nairobi Roadmap sets the course for a regional investment approach.
- AUDA-NEPAD also facilitated the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) Forum and is supporting the African Integrated High-Speed Rail Network, pushing forward continental mobility.
Through platforms such as PIDA Week, which convened over 2,000 stakeholders, we continue to shape the dialogue between governments, DFIs, and private sector investors.
4. Agriculture, Food Systems, and Climate Resilience
Despite being home to 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa continues to face chronic food insecurity. AUDA-NEPAD’s work in food systems is focused on unlocking this latent potential through:
- The Kampala CAADP Declaration, Strategy, and Action Plan (2026–2035)—adopted to guide the next decade of agricultural transformation.
- National support for the domestication of the Nairobi Declaration on Fertiliser and Soil Health, including a roadmap, regional technical hubs, and coalitions of technical partners.
- Policy harmonisation and capacity-building in partnership with RECs and the UN Food Systems Hub, culminating in the African Common Position for UNFSS+4.
In environmental sustainability, we are leading implementation of the AFR100 Forest Landscape Restoration initiative, supporting data collection in 30 countries, and scaling best practices for reforestation and carbon finance.
5. Peace, Security, and Development (Triple Nexus)
Recognising that development cannot flourish in the absence of peace and governance, AUDA-NEPAD continues to operationalise the Triple Nexus of Peace, Security, and Development.
- We led support for Gabon’s peaceful political transition, working closely with the African Union Peace and Security Council.
- We launched the AU Journal on Peacebuilding, offering a platform for analysis, policy dialogue, and community-based innovation.
- We are finalising the Triple Nexus Implementation Framework, scaling technical support, and mapping country-level peace and development actors.
This work bridges gaps between humanitarian response, state-building, and long-term development—and ensures inclusive governance frameworks for youth, women, and local communities.
6. Digital Infrastructure and Cybersecurity
As the digital economy accelerates, AUDA-NEPAD is supporting Member States to develop secure and inclusive ecosystems:
- We’ve launched a continental cybersecurity maturity assessment mechanism and signed a strategic MoU with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise.
- In 12 countries, data governance frameworks are progressing, with Zambia and The Gambia preparing cabinet submissions on data protection.
- We are also piloting SimpliClear, a digital tool to reduce cross-border trade transaction costs, with pilots underway in SADC and COMESA.
These digital interventions empower governments to foster innovation while safeguarding infrastructure and citizen rights.
Honourable Members, this brings me to the core of my message to you today. As the Pan-African Parliament, and indeed as national parliaments across our continent, your role in the successful implementation of Agenda 2063 is not only important but it is indispensable.
You are the direct link to the aspirations of our people, the custodians of our laws, and the watchdogs of our collective progress.
Therefore, my message to this Parliament is a direct call to action:
1. Champion the Domestication of Agenda 2063:
- We ask you to actively champion the domestication of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan within your respective national contexts.
- This means integrating Agenda 2063 into national development plans, strategies, and legislative agendas.
- Use your legislative powers to ensure that national laws are harmonised with our continental aspirations, providing the necessary legal backbone for our shared vision.
2. Strengthen Parliamentary Oversight:
- We urge you to strengthen your oversight mechanisms to ensure that national governments are effectively implementing Agenda 2063.
- This includes rigorous scrutiny of national budgets to ensure adequate allocation and transparent utilisation of resources for our shared goals.
- Establish or empower parliamentary committees to specifically monitor progress on Agenda 2063, ensuring they have the necessary resources, technical expertise, and mandates to conduct in-depth inquiries and demand accountability.
3. Facilitate Public Participation and Accountability:
- Engage your constituents deeply in the Agenda 2063 journey. Organise public forums, consultations, and use modern technologies to solicit their input and feedback.
- Ensure that the voices of all, especially women, youth, and marginalised communities, are heard and reflected in policy-making and implementation.
- Promote transparency and accountability in all development initiatives, ensuring that the impact is felt where it matters most – at the grassroots.
4. Advocate for Resource Mobilisation:
- Use your influence to advocate for increased domestic resource mobilisation and for equitable access to international financing for Agenda 2063 projects.
- Support efforts to curb illicit financial flows that continue to drain our continent's potential, and champion reforms in the global financial architecture that benefit Africa.
5. Foster Inter-Parliamentary Collaboration:
- Strengthen collaboration between the Pan-African Parliament and national parliaments.
- Share best practices, coordinate legislative efforts, and collectively advocate for the acceleration of Agenda 2063 across the continent.
- Your unified voice is a powerful force for change, enabling a more coherent and impactful continental approach to development.
Honourable Members, the journey to "The Africa We Want" is a shared one. It requires unwavering commitment, concerted effort, and a deep sense of ownership from all stakeholders.
The Pan-African Parliament, as the legislative arm of our Union, holds a unique and powerful position to drive this agenda forward.
AUDA‑NEPAD, as your technical partner and servant of Africa’s transformation, stands ready to walk beside you every step of the way—providing data, analysis, and implementation support; convening stakeholders; and ensuring that our joint ambitions yield tangible benefits in every village, town, and city across our continent.
I thank you
