NEPAD Secretariat, AUC

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NEPAD Secretariat, AUC UNECA Meeting   THE
ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEPAD.

• Presentation by Janah Ncube SADC Secretariat
• 28 29 May 2009, Addis Ababa Ethiopia

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Mandate to engage CSOs/Pvt Sector

• The SADC Treaty recognises non state actors as
  important partners in the implementation of the
  SADC programme of action. Article 23 of the SADC
  Treaty actually lays the foundation for none
  state actors participation and identifies the
  private sector, civil society, NGOs, workers
  employers organisations as key stakeholders.
• Policy Instruments Protocols, Declarations,
  MoUs, Communiques and Summit/Ministers Decisions

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SADC, the RISDP NEPAD

• The Regional Indicative Strategic Development
  Plan (RISDP) is SADCs strategic framework for
  deeper regional integration, poverty eradication
  and achieving sustainable development.
• It Provides Strategic direction for efficient
  implementation of the SADC programmes over a 15
  years period aligning overarching long term
  integrated development goals such as NEPAD and
  creating synergies between regional and national
  development initiatives.

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RISDP SIPO

• Peace and Security
• Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment
• Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Social and Human Development and Special
  Programmes
• Infrastructure and Services
• Cross-cutting Issues (Poverty Eradication,
  Gender, HIV/AIDs, Environment Sustainable
  Development, Private Sector Development
  Statistics)

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The RISDP the Private Sector

• RISDP Cross Cutting Theme Private Sector
  Development
• Overall Goal
• Integrate private sector and ensure participation
  in SADC activities.
• Focus Areas
• Public-private partnership and dialogue
• Capacity building at regional and national levels

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Targets for Pvt Sector Development

• 2004 - A SADC policy on Public-private Sector
  partnership in place
• 2004 - SADC Private sector MOUs reviewed,
  enhanced and signed explicitly allowing for
  engaging the private sector through the
  structures of SADC
• 2004 - Adoption by Summit of a public-private
  sector Action Plan based on the ASCCI White
  Paper, to be implemented over the RISDP period
• 2004 - Competitiveness and Business Climate
  Survey launched in September 2003, and completed
  and final report circulated in June 2004 to
  facilitate private sector-public dialogue on an
  on-going basis
• 2004 - Institutionalise a Private Sector Unit to
  carry out a support function for both the
  Secretariat and Private Sector Institutions as
  part of the restructured SADC Secretariat4
• Facilitate the assessment of capacity, and
  capacity building, within SADC Chambers of
  Commerce and Industry and Business Associations
  to be conducted in 2003, and thereafter every two
  years.
• Facilitate the creation of sector business
  associations where these add value to
  public-private sector dialogue on an on-going
  basis.

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SADC NGOs and Civil Society

• NGOs and civil society are recognised as key
  partners in the implementation of the SADC agenda
  although they are not recognised a key
  theme/issue of focus in the RISDP
• Mentioned throughout as key stakeholders at both
  national and regional level in technical
  platforms and in stakeholder platforms in
  monitoring and evaluating the implementation of
  RISDP
• Institutionalised to be key components of the
  SADC National Committees (SNCs). SNCs responsible
  for national engagement with SADC policy
  development and monitoring RISDP implementation.

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SNCs

• The main functions of a National Committee are to
  provide inputs at the national level in the
  formulation of regional policies, strategies, the
  SADC Programme of Action as well as coordinate
  and oversee the implementation of the these
  programmes at the national level. The Committees
  are also responsible for the initiation of SADC
  projects and issue papers as an input into the
  preparation of the Regional strategies.

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Creating an Enabling Environment for engagement

• Private Sector Clear Provisions made in the
  RISDP
• A Programme within the TIFI Directorate focusing
  on Private Sector Development SADC Business
  Forum its product (However the desk has since
  been phased out although functions have been
  mainstreamed into current structures this has
  weakened this focus)

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Creating an Enabling Environment for engagement

• SADC Subsidiary organisations
• - SADC Council of NGOs
• - Southern African Trade Unions Council
• - Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce and
  Industry (ASCCI)
• - SADC Employers Group

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Opportunities for CSOs/Pvt Sector Engagement

• Official Summit meetings and/or Conferences
• Technical meetings of officials on theme/issue
  initial phase of any policy / programme
  development
• Pool of experts (consultants) used by Secretariat
  come from CSOs, Private Sector and Research
  Institutions in the SADC region
• SADC Gender Protocol, Maseru Declaration on HIV
  and AIDS implementation

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Key Challenges in this unbalanced relationship

• Interaction has remained unformalised,
  uncoordinated and not harmonized. There is no
  stipulated mode of contact that spells out ways
  in which SADC and none state actors will engage.
  It is not clear to most CSOs and private sector
  which is the appropriate entry point for
  engagement with the SADC structures,
  implementation mechanisms, and policy responses
  both at national and regional level.

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Proposed Stakeholder Liaison Programme

• Firstly, a survey to be carried out both within
  the secretariat and with other stakeholders to
  assess the current state of interaction and
  engagement determine the issues that need to be
  addressed propose the appropriate frameworks,
  mechanisms, capacity, structures and mode of
  engagement.
•  Through this survey, develop a thematic
  directory and data base which would enable the
  Secretariat and other SADC structures to access
  these important stakeholders.
• Hold consultation meetings with NGOs civil
  society private sector parliamentary groups and
  academic institutions and networks.
• Review the findings of the survey and the
  outcomes of the consultations and address the
  issues that emerge including identifying how none
  state actors can engage with the Secretariat and
  SADC Structures.
• Annual Stakeholder Forum facilitated by the
  Secretariat Pre-Summit preparations proposed
  every May.
•  

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Expected Outcomes

• Dedicated resources (position) to stakeholder
  engagement institutionalising stakeholder
  engagement e.g. Windhoek Declaration (SADC
  ICPs)
• Co-ordinated and Harmonised engagement of all
  stakeholders policy structures, SNCs, Private
  Sector, Research Institutions, Parliamentary
  Groups and CSOs
• Integration of views of stakeholders in SADC
  policy development and implementation of
  programmes
• Structured / thematic and issue based engagement
• Recognition of CSOs and their value addition to
  developmental processes in the region
• Greater co-operation between various stakeholders
  particularly CSOs and Governments