By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The African Union (AU) has launched the Second 10-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063. The launching ceremony took place on February 17 during the summit of African Heads of States in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that took place from February 17 and 18.
The implementation plan, also known as the decade of acceleration (2024-2033), is a historic milestone for the African Union, its Member States, and all African citizens. It marks the beginning of the second decade of collective efforts to realize the vision of a prosperous, peaceful, and integrated Africa by 2063.
The Second 10-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 is a bold and ambitious roadmap for Africa’s transformation. It is a manifestation of the collective will and determination of the African people to shape their destiny. It reaffirms the African dream of unity, dignity, and prosperity for all.
The launch of the plan is a call to action for all stakeholders to join hands and work together to make Agenda 2063 a reality. The success of the plan depends on the ownership, commitment, and participation of all Africans, including governments, regional economic communities, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, media, and the diaspora.
The plan outlines seven moonshots of how the continent aims to achieve key priorities, goals, and targets in the next 10 years. By 2033, Africa aims to be prosperous, integrated, democratic, peaceful, cultured, people-driven, and influential.
The plan also identifies flagship projects that will have a high impact, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Passport, the Grand Inga Dam, the Single African Air Transport Market, the African Virtual University, the Pan-African E-Network, and the African Outer Space Strategy. These projects will enhance regional integration, economic diversification, innovation, and competitiveness, as well as social inclusion and cohesion.
Effective coordination, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms are required to ensure accountability and transparency. The African Union Commission, together with AUDA-NEPAD, will play a leading role in facilitating and supporting the implementation of the plan at all levels.
The African Union has designated the theme for 2023 as the โYear of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementationโ, aiming to generate greater political commitment and accelerate the effective implementation of the agreement.
By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to lift 30 million people from extreme poverty and another 68 million people from moderate poverty.
Currently, forty-four (44) member states are state parties to the AfCFTA Agreement following the ratification of the instruments establishing the AfCFTA, while fifty-four (54) member states have signed the Agreement.
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