Date: 6-8 December 2024
Venue: The Capital on The Park Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa
The African Union Committee of Experts of the Fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) are set to hold their first-ever joint retreat from 6th to 8th December 2024 at The Capital on The Park Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg. This landmark event will bring together key stakeholders to advance the collaboration between these two critical African Union (AU) institutions, aiming to improve governance across the continent, financial management, and resource mobilization.
The retreat will feature strategic discussions, knowledge sharing, and a series of sessions aimed at strengthening the African Union's budget process and addressing key challenges in APRM’s operational and budgetary activities. It will also explore future initiatives to improve the effectiveness of the APRM in promoting good governance across African Union Member States.
Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speakers:
- Welcome Remarks by Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, CEO of the APRM
- Statement by Mr. Pahimi Lipelba, Chairperson of the Committee of Fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15)
- Opening Remarks by H.E. Fathallah Sijilmassi, Director General, African Union Commission
Sessions Overview:
- Session 1: Introducing the mandate of the APRM and reviewing the achievements of the APRM, including an overview of lessons learned from the 2020–2024 Strategic Plan, alongside a proposal for the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan.
- Session 2: Exploring the African Union budget process, the role of the F15 in the budget process, and integration challenges with AU rules and regulations.
- Session 3: Analysing APRM’s operational and budgetary situation, including human resources and operational funding.
- Session 4: Discussing evolving budget processes and ongoing reforms within the AU institutions.
- Session 5: Addressing directorate program budgets, the challenges faced in the continental context, the role of the APRM, and the development of a resource mobilization strategy.
- Session 6: Governance challenges: Understanding the continental context and the role of the ARPM, and developing a resource mobilisation Strategy and identifying related constraints
Notable Participants and Speakers:
- H.E. Amara Kallon, Minister for Public Administration and Political Affairs, Sierra Leone
- Mr. Pahimi Lipelba, Chairperson of the Committee of Fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15)
- H.E. Fathallah Sijilmassi, Director General, African Union Commission
- Amb. Ashraf Rashed, Chairperson of the APRM Continental Consultative Committee of the NGCs
- Mr. Madalitso Muuso, Head of Financial Management, AUC
- Ambassador Woinshet Tadesse Woldegiorgis, Finance Advisor to the Cabinet of the Deputy Chairperson, AUC
- Mr. Neil Cole, Financial Management Expert, Former Executive Secretary, Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI)
- Mr. Mohamed Sheriff, Chairperson of the National Secretariats Coordinating Committee
This retreat represents an important step in fostering greater collaboration and strengthening governance frameworks within the African Union, with a view to achieving greater impact within the Member States.
