cs anne waiguru speech during nepad inagural focal points meeting

7/18/2019 CS Anne Waiguru Speech During NEPAD Inagural Focal Points Meeting

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Keynote Address by Ms. Anne Waiguru, OGW, Cabinet

Secretary, Ministry of Devolution and Planning during theInaugural Meeting of The NEPAD Focal Points held at the

Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya:

26 - 27 May 2014

Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Planning

and Coordinating Agency,

Cabinet Secretaries Present,

Principal Secretaries Present,

H. E Ambassadors,

Representatives of the Regional Economic Communities,



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Representatives of the African Union Commission,

Development Partners,

Senior Government Officials,

Representatives of the Private Sector and the Civil Society,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to be here today, to mark the beginning of

this important Inaugural Meeting of the NEPAD Focal Points. Let me take

this opportunity to welcome all of you to Kenya and in particular to the

beautiful city of Nairobi, the only City in the world with a national park.



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History teaches us that unity is strength, cautions us to submerge and

overcome our differences in the quest for common goals, to strive withall our combined strength for the path to true African brotherhood and

unity. At the beginning of this millennium, African Leaders guided by this

truth saw the need to form a united front and integrate the continent’s

development agenda. It is through this revelation that The New

Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was conceived to address

critical challenges that face the continent.


In Kenya NEPAD has facilitated the promotion and implementation of

various Regional and National Projects such as The Isiolo-Moyale Road,

the LAPSET Project, The Kenya Uganda Oil Pipeline, The NEPAD E-Schools,



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The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme geared

towards enhancing food security and promoting good governancethrough the African Peer Review Mechanism.

I also take note that the African Heads of State and Government have

renewed their support towards the Programme for Infrastructure

Development in Africa (PIDA) by championing a few projects including

development corridors under the Presidential InfrastructureChampionship Initiative (PICI). Kenya through NEPAD is committed to

undertake this initiative with the help of various stakeholders and

development partners both in the public and private sector across the

region.



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The implementation of the NEPAD strategy and programmes has not

been smooth sailing. It has experienced a number of challengesincluding inadequate coordination of implementing agencies, limited

capacity at all levels and unclear mandate of the National Offices.

In addition, it has been observed that NEPAD programmes are

transnational in nature and are implemented through the Regional

Economic Communities and Government Agencies at the National Level.The main challenge faced is difficulties in coordinating such programmes

across different countries. As a result of these, some implementing

agencies have developed a “silo mentality” that is such programmes

represent stand-alone development interventions whose overall impact

may not be fully realised.



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At the same time, NEPAD has not developed a comprehensive

monitoring and evaluation frame lines to provide proper feedbackchannels to implementing agencies and other stakeholders.

This Inaugural Meeting of The NEPAD Focal Points serves as a collective

stock taking and consultative engagement forum to deliberate on

policies and strategies to improve coordination and implementation of

NEPAD programmes. The forum brings together high levelrepresentatives of key development agencies from across Africa. A wise

man once said that Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and

collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved. It is my conviction that

wonderful things will be achieved in this two days.



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Let me reaffirm the Government of Kenya’s commitment to the AU and

NEPADs Agenda.

Am delighted to note that some of our key flagship programmes in the

vision 2030, which is our development blue print that aims to transform

Kenya into a newly industrialised and middle income country providing a

high quality life to all its citizens” were conceived through the NEPAD

initiative.

What is important now, eleven years after NEPAD was launched is to

review the progress made and identify any challenges with a view toformulating appropriate solutions to address the difficulties encountered

in implementation process.



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NEPAD offices must be strengthened at all levels to enhance

coordination, partnerships, innovation, monitoring and evaluation; andadvocacy. They must be supported by the NEPAD Planning and

Coordinating Agency with requisite information, tools, and technical

assistance to make them effective especially at the grass root level.


I call upon each and every one of us to commit to this course;

Acknowledging that we owe our future generations a more developed, a

more integrated, and a more united Africa. May this be our inspiration

even as we deliberate on NEPAD’s way forward.



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Ladies and Gentlemen

Lastly, I wish to encourage you to feel secure and enjoy the attractive

scenery, climate, and diverse cultures of our country. You are always

welcome to Kenya.

With these few remarks, it is my pleasure to declare this meeting

officially open.

cs anne waiguru speech during nepad inagural focal points meeting

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