As Africa pursues its vision to have an equal say in global decision-making, it is also time to ensure that no African citizens are left behind in developmental endeavours, be it at the local, government, national, or continental levels, officials have said.

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The call was made on Sunday, October 1, as the African Union (AU) Executive Council kicked off a three-day retreat, in Kigali, to discuss the second decade of Agenda 2063 among other things.

Hosted under the theme "Accelerating the Implementation of Agenda 2063”, the high-level meeting brought together ministers in charge of Foreign Affairs; ministers in charge of Finance and Development Planning; Ambassadors, AUC leadership; and Heads of AU organs, among others.

In her remarks, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, commended AUC member states, other AU organs, the regional economic communities, and regional mechanisms, partners such as the UNDP, the UNICEF, the UNECA, the African Development Bank, the African Bank, for their respective contributions.

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"This is truly critical, as it is key to harnessing political will and commitment, including the resourcing of the second 10-year implementation plan, also attaining commitment to jointly implement and report on the African Union&039;s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations' Agenda 2030, in other words, through the efficient approach of one framework, two agendas,” Nsanzabaganwa said.

Reacting to the past decade of Agenda 2063, Nsanzabaganwa said that the first 10-year implementation plan has been a period or a moment to attain convergence. "And the next 10 years are calling for acceleration.”

Seven ambitious moon shots

According to Nsanzabaganwa, Agenda 2063 seeks to deliver on a set of Seven Aspirations each with its own set of goals, which if achieved is expected to move Africa closer to achieving its vision.

The Seven Aspirations, she said, reflect Africa’s desire for shared prosperity and well-being, for unity and integration, for a continent of free citizens and expanded horizons, where the full potential of women and youth are realised, and with freedom from fear, disease, and want.

"Around them, we are collectively undertaking to make sure that every nation by the end of the next 10 years will be in the middle-income category. But of course, some are already there and we want them to be even higher. We want also to achieve more integration and connection in our continent. We are also undertaking to ensure our public institutions at all levels are more responsive to citizens' needs.”

She added, "We also want to commit to making it a reality that Africa is resolving conflicts amicably. Africa has to remain a strong and influential global player.”

Considerable challenges prevail

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Vincent Biruta, maintained that while the continent made notable progress during the first decade of Agenda 2063, there is a need to acknowledge that there are still considerable challenges in areas such as poverty reduction, job creation, free movement of people, and in ensuring a secure and peaceful Africa.

He asserted that the retreat comes at a very opportune time, enabling leaders to engage in collective brainstorming and renew their commitment to monitoring the continental priorities of Agenda 2063.

"These issues will require our full attention in the second ten-year implementation plan. We therefore look forward to discussing at length how we can better domesticate, finance, coordinate, and build the capacities of actors in the delivery of the Agenda.”

But, Minister Biruta, said; "Given the current challenges, it is crucial that we double our efforts during the second decade of Agenda 2063. To that end, Rwanda remains fully committed to playing an active role in ensuring that the development goals of our union are reached.”

Under the first 10-year plan, officials said that substantive advancements have been made to improve road network connectivity, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), electrification, access to ICT, gender equality, and the establishment of the AfCFTA, among others.

The ministerial retreat is expected to discuss the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063, which spans from 2024 to 2033.

Agenda 2063 was adopted by the 24th Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa in January 2015.

The Agenda embodies the aspirations of the African people, framed in a collective ambition thus: "The Africa We Want in 2063”.

The Agenda is operationalised through five ten-year implementation plans, with the first plan straddling 2014 to 2023.

The second decade of Agenda 2063 implementation is one of acceleration, building on the first that focused on convergence.