Addis Ababa, 02 October, 2015 (the guardian) – Ethiopia to host a Conference of the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment between the 8th and 9th October 2015, which will be preceded by a two day meeting of senior officials/experts that will take place on 5th and 6th October 2015 to examine the various documents and prepare their report to the ministers.
Some of the overall objectives of that conference among others will be to review relevant strategic goals, facilitate mutual accountability and Identify synergies, linkages and complementarities in on-going agriculture.
Also, rural development, water and environment related initiatives, and their implications on the achievement of the overarching goals of Africa accelerated agricultural growth and transformation (3AGT) agenda for attaining food and nutrition security, reduce poverty, boost intra-African trade, and enhance resilience of production systems and livelihoods to Climate Change and related shocks.
More specifically, the Conference will have the following objectives: To review and adopt the rules of procedure of the specialized technical committee on agriculture, rural development, water and environment.
To facilitate broad-based consultation and dialogue among all relevant stakeholders on mutual accountability, mutual learning and biennial reporting on previous commitments.
Consideration of various strategic documents related to agriculture, rural development, water and environment will be part of the conference agenda.
To identify synergies, linkages and complementarities in on-going agriculture, rural development, water and environment initiatives and agree on areas of follow up actions at various levels and to examine and internalize the strategic and operational modalities for coordination mechanisms between the relevant sector ministries at Member State level, which are also linked to those at REC level.
However, various side events and stakeholders’ forums will be organized on the margins of the Conference on October 7, 2015 to facilitate consultations and contribute to an interactive ministerial session that will be held on 8th and 9th October 2015.
The 7th of October 2015 will also be used to prepare and adopt the reports of the senior officials/experts to be submitted for consideration by the ministers.
The African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government adopted the configuration of the specialized technical committees (STCs) and the modalities of their operationalization in January 2009 and July 2011, respectively as Organs of the Union in accordance with Article 5 (1) (g) of the Constitutive Act.
One of the specialized technical committees recommended for establishment is the specialized technical committee (stcs) on agriculture, rural development, water and environment.
The STCs are composed of Ministers or senior officials responsible for sectors falling within their respective areas of competence. They are responsible for preparing projects and programs of the Union and submitting them to the Executive Council.
They also have the duty to ensure the supervision, follow-up and evaluation of the implementation of decisions taken by the organs of the Union and the coordination and harmonization of projects and programs of the Union.
The STC is also expected to carry out any other functions assigned to it for the purpose of ensuring the implementation of the provisions of relevant AU Acts.
The STC Conference will therefore provide a peer environment for exchange and learning to support the achievement of individual and collective responsibilities for relevant sector ministries targets.
The envisaged outcomes of the inaugural conference of the au specialized technical committee on agriculture, rural development, water and environment include the rules of procedure of the specialized technical committee on agriculture, rural development, water and environment adopted modalities and mechanisms for mutual accountability, mutual learning and biennial reporting.
Also, the various relevant strategic documents reviewed and pertinent decisions adopted and agreements on synergies, linkages and complementarities in on-going agriculture, rural development water and environment initiatives identified and areas of follow up actions at various levels obtained.
There will be plenary and parallel sessions for Experts/Senior Officials to facilitate deliberations and review of documents, these include The Agriculture and Rural Development Experts Session to review and consider relevant reports.
The two days ministerial session will be conducted in a format that on the one hand facilitates inclusive and interactive conversations and dialogue among the ministers as well as between the ministers and key strategic stakeholders, and on the other hand allows the Ministers to consider strategic reports and items that warrant their considerations in a closed session.
Hence, the 1st day of the conference will be devoted to an open interactive session, while the 2nd and final day will be devoted to a closed session. The ministerial session is scheduled for the 8th and 9th of October 2015.
To be presented at the conference includes the following documents Draft Rules of Procedure of the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, Communiqué of the Permanent Secretaries/Head of Ministries Leadership Retreat on Operationalising the Malabo Declaration.
The Malabo Declaration on Africa Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation (3AGT), with its clearly articulated commitments on eradicating hunger, halving poverty, boosting intra-African trade and enhancing the resilience of production systems and livelihoods to climate change and other shocks, is calling action for impact and sustaining the CAADP Momentum (the guardian).
In the Water and Sanitation Sector, African Heads of States and Government have adopted the Sharm El Sheikh Declarations in June 2008 to fast track implementation of the African Water Sector Goals, and most importantly to achieve targets set in the MGDs and the African Water.
Vision 2025 in line with many other declarations in the sector such as the 2004 Sirte Declaration on integrated development of Agriculture and Water in Africa.