Cape Town, 24-26 October 2024 – The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), organized the fifth continental workshop on the theme: “Strengthening Institutional Capacities in Africa for Effective Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and AU Agenda 2063”.
This workshop served as a follow-up to the 2024 High-Level Political Forum and the Summit of the Future for Africa, focusing on advocacy and technical methods to enhance good governance in alignment with the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, both endorsed at the 79th UN General Assembly last September.
Delegates from 20 African countries participated alongside UN experts and Resident Coordinators from Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa. Representatives from various African cities, including Cape Town, and the private sector, such as ABSA Group, as well as numerous youth and civil society organizations, including the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Good Governance Africa (GGA), actively engaged in this continental gathering.
The APRM CEO, Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre emphasized that the partnership with UNDESA is crucial for bridging governance gaps and enhancing institutional capacities across Africa, thereby advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AU Agenda 2063. “This collaboration, she added, has enhanced the adoption of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, aligned global and regional development agendas with national priorities, and promoted the principles of good governance and inclusive institutions, as endorsed by the UN ECOSOC.”
Ms. Geraldine Moleketi, Chairperson of the UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), underscored the need for African leaders and governments to focus on transformative actions to address the continent’s persistent challenges. She commended the APRM’s efforts to strengthen the institutional capacities of Member States and national structures to address civil service capacity gaps in Africa.
The workshop provided a regional platform for African countries to discuss key thematic areas, leveraging the UN’s Six Transitions to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and Agenda 2063. These areas included food systems, energy access and affordability, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
National executives shared best practices on implementation strategies and monitoring frameworks for SDG 16 and Moonshot 3 of Agenda 2063, which aims to establish democratic and inclusive institutions across the continent by 2033 and foster capable institutions and transformative leadership at all levels. Additionally, the workshop revealed findings from two technical toolkits developed by the APRM and African partners to assess policies and national programmes aimed at enhancing the principles of civil service competency (training and leadership policy) and Leaving no one behind (social equity policy).
Delegates highlighted that translating the outcomes of the Summit and the “Pact for the Future” into action depends on several factors, including political will, human and financial resources, and institutional capabilities, all underpinned by inclusivity and collaboration with non-state actors in pursuit of national development aspirations.
For further information on the workshop, please visit for further info, please visit https://aprm.au.int/en/events/2024-10-24/fifth-continental-workshop-str…
