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3rd Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Ensuring Inclusive and Sustainable Growth and Prosperity for All

17-19 May 2017 | UN Conference Centre (UNCC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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About | 17 May | 18 May | 19 May | Summary

Participants from Major Groups and other Stakeholders consulting

The third session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD 3) convened for its final day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 19 May 2017. Delegates gathered in the morning to take part in parallel sessions on the six sub-themes of the Forum: eradicating all forms of poverty in Africa; ending hunger and achieving food security in Africa; ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all; promoting gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls; building resilient infrastructure and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and innovation; and, conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development. Report backs on the parallel sessions began in the morning and continued into the afternoon, including providing initial comments on the draft key messages. The results of these discussions fed into the key messages of ARFSD 3.

Key messages discussed by delegates included that: economic growth is necessary, but insufficient, to eradicate poverty; hunger should be considered as a national and regional security issue; governments should ensure fair and mandatory public financing to build universal and equitable health coverage; gender issues should be reflected in national integrated plans for Agenda 2030 and the African Union Commission’s (AUC) Agenda 2063; green industrialization provides an opportunity for Africa to leapfrog and be competitive in global value chains; and, that sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Africa will depend on sustainable and optimal management of natural capital, including oceans, seas, and marine resources.

Following an adjournment to incorporate the comments and recommendations made and allow time for national consultations, delegations reconvened in the early evening to consider a revised draft. Following discussion, Member States were asked to submit their comments and reservations on the document by Wednesday, 24 May 2017. Delegates adopted the key messages, with this proviso. ARFSD 3 was gavelled to a close at 8:55 pm.

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Highlights for Friday, 19 May 2017


Parallel panel session on conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development

Parallel panel session on ending hunger and achieving food security in Africa

Parallel panel session on healthy lives and promoting well-being for all

L-R: Boutobba Afef, Algeria; Rosalie Matondo, Minister of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment, Republic of Congo; Marie-Josée Bonne, Seychelles; Nassim Oulmane, UNECA; 2017 Bureau Chair Meatchi Tchaou Gervais, Togo; and Nyasha Chikwinya, Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Zimbabwe

L-R: Nassim Oulmane, UNECA; and 2017 Bureau Chair Meatchi Tchaou Gervais, Togo

Malefu Khanyapa, Lesotho

Dagnachew Wakene, THISAbility Consulting


Marie-Josée Bonne, Seychelles

Mohamed Yahiya Lafdal, Mauritania

Otiko Afisah Djaba, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ghana

Christo Janse van Noordwyk, South Africa

Janice Cox, World Animal Net

Emem Omokaro, The Dave Omokaro Foundation

Najla Awad Hassan, Sudan

Participants drafting the key messages of ARFSD 3

Chair Meatchi Tchaou Gervais, Togo, gavelled the meeting to a close at 8:55 pm


Highlights for Thusday, 18 May 2017


The third session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD 3) convened for its second day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 18 May 2017, and for the first day of ARFSD 3’s plenary meetings. Delegates heard opening statements and took part in a high-level panel on the challenges and opportunities in achieving inclusive growth and prosperity. Messages emerging from this session included: the need for increased gender sensitivity; the importance of education for sustainable development; that data is essential to monitor progress in implementation; and, the role regional economic communities play in implementation of the SDGs. They also elected the Bureau for the 2017 session and adopted the agenda.

In the afternoon, delegates heard updates on progress in implementation of the SDGs and the goals of African Union Commission (AUC) Agenda 2063. They also heard a presentation on the framework for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the two Agendas prepared by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the AUC. Delegates then took part in a round table on peer learning and the exchange of experience and lessons learned in the implementation of the two Agendas. They also heard a presentation from Parfait Eloundou-Enyegue, Cornell University, US, on how a demographic perspective can inform poverty reduction strategies. Issues raised during this session included: the important role national plans and programmes play for the implementation of the SDGs and the AUC Agenda 2063; harmonized monitoring frameworks; and, government-civil society partnerships for implementation of the two Agendas.

Delegates attended a reception hosted by UNECA in the evening.

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Delegates from West Africa in consultation on their sub-region's nomination for the Bureau

A bird's eye view of the opening plenary of the third Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development

Nehal Magdy Ahmed El Megharbel, Deputy Minister for Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform, Egypt

Fatima Denton, Director, Special Initiatives Division, UNECA

Anthony Mothae Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, AUC

Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Ethiopia

Abdalla Hamdok, Acting Executive Secretary, UNECA

L-R: Ben Paul Mungyereza, Executive Director, Uganda Bureau of Statistics; Mutuuzo Peace Regis, Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda; Amedi Camara, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Mauritania; Anthony Mothae Maruping, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, AUC; Rosalie Matondo, Minister of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment, Republic of Congo; Nehal Magdy Ahmed El Megharbel, Deputy Minister for Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform, Egypt; Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Ethiopia; Nyasha Chikwinya, Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Zimbabwe; and María Jesús Ncara Owono Mze, Vice Minister for Education and Science, Equatorial Guinea

L-R: Fatima Denton, UNECA; Nassim Oulmane, Chief of Green Economy and Natural Resources Section, UNECA; and Nehal Magdy Ahmed El Megharbel, Deputy Minister for Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform, Egypt

Participants from the Southern Africa sub-region in a huddle to consult on their nomination to the Bureau

2017 Bureau Chair Meatchi Tchaou Gervais, Togo


Highlights for Wednesday, 17 May 2017


The third session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD 3) opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 17 May 2017. Held in preparation for the 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the Forum is convening under the theme, “Ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth and prosperity for all.”

Two pre-events were held: the Tenth Session of the Committee on Sustainable Development (CSD-10); and, Preparatory and Capacity Development Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders. CSD-10 reviewed implementation of the 2016–2017 work programme of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) sub-programme on innovations, technologies and managing Africa’s natural resources. Issues discussed under this agenda item included the green economy and natural resources, new technologies and innovation, and climate change and development. Following this, delegates discussed the 2016-2017 work programme, provided guidance, and identified priority areas on work for the 2018–2019 biennium.

The Preparatory and Capacity Building Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders met to provide an opportunity to brief Major Groups and other Stakeholders on the follow-up and review process of the identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2017–2019, as well as review the African regional report on progress on implementation. Delegates also took part in a roundtable session and six breakout groups in order to share experiences and lessons learned on SDGs 1 (Poverty Eradication), 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 5 (Gender Equality), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and 14 (Life Below Water). Specific issues highlighted included: decent work as a cross-cutting issue among the SDGs; creating data collection infrastructure; accountability; and, “domesticating” international laws and agreements.

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10th Session of the Economic Commission for Africa Committee on Sustainable Development

 

L-R: Fatima Denton, Director, Special Initiatives Division, Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); Moubarack Lo, Senegal; and Nassim
Oulmane, Chief of Green Economy and Natural Resources Section, UNECA

Fatima Denton, UNECA

Moubarack Lo, Senegal

Presentation on the introduction to the ECA sub-programme on innovations, technologies and managing Africa's natural resources by Fatima Denton, UNECA

Kasirim Nwuke, Chief of New Technologies and Innovation Section, UNECA

Nassim Oulmane, UNECA

L-R: Sebueng Chipeta; Christo Janse van Noordwyk; and Thabo Mogale, South Africa


Preparatory and Capacity-Development Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders in the Africa region


L-R: Isabela Cunha, Division for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); Aida Opoku-Mensah, Executive Secretary on the post-2015 development agenda, UNECA; Linus Mofor, Senior Expert, African Climate Policy Centre, UNECA, Facilitator; and Charles Akol, Green Economy and Natural Resources Section, UNECA

Isabela Cunha, UNDESA

Aida Opoku-Mensah, Executive Secretary on the post-2015 development agenda, UNECA

L-R: Ingrid Coetzee, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, South Africa; Dyborn Charlie Chibonga, World Farmers' Organization, Malawi; Priscilla Achakpa, Women Environmental Programme, Nigeria; Stephen Chacha, African Philanthropic Foundation, Tanzania; Daniel Nyanganyura, International Council for Science; Guendouz Siham, African Youth Network for Sustainable Development, Algeria

L-R: Isabela Cunha, UNDESA; Fatima Denton, UNECA; and Stephen Chacha, African Philanthropic Foundation, Tanzania






About | 17 May | 18 May | 19 May | Summary
Funding for coverage of the 3rd Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development,
has been provided by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
UNECA