Pan-African Projects

With the establishment of the African Union in July 2002 the 53 Member States emphasized the fundamental importance of innovative African reforms to effectively deal with the challenges Africa is facing in the 21st century. The African reform agenda is based on the guiding principle of African ownership and the will to accelerate the political and economical integration on the continent to strengthen Africa’s capabilities to implement long-term and individual solutions to African problems. The German government is supporting the African reform agenda not only politically but also with concrete measures. In this context Germany provides technical advice and financial assistance to Pan-African institutions and initiatives located in South Africa. German support is rendered through the following GTZ projects:

“Support to Pan-African Institutions (SPAI)”, which is composed of the cooperation with the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the NEPAD Secretariat and the APRM Secretariat,
“Pan-African Reform Processes in the Field of Agrobusiness” in support of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and
“Support to the Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI)”.

Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

The Pan-African Parliament was established in March 2004, as per Articles 5 and 17 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It is one of the 11 organs of the AU and the first continental parliamentary assembly in African history. Currently 230 Members of Parliament from 46 African countries represent the people of Africa. The aim of the Pan-African Parliament is to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage. Germany supports PAP within the framework of a program that is funded and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development since 2006. The PAP component of the programme is focusing on institutional strengthening and capacity development.

New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)

As the socio-economic programme of the African Union, NEPAD’s long-term aim is to end poverty, stop the marginalization of Africa in the globalization process and set the continent on the path to sustainable development. It was introduced in 2001 and was adopted in the African Union framework in 2002. Today NEPAD is resuming its new role as an implementing agency and “Think Tank” at the policy and programme level of the African Union in the areas of good governance, infrastructure, education, health, science and technology and private sector development. Germany assists the NEPAD secretariat in its institutional and organizational development process as well as through technical and policy advisory services in selected thematic areas.

Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)

As part of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), CAADP is the agricultural programme of the African Union. Its focus lies on the improvement of food security, nutrition, and incomes in Africa’s largely agrarian economies. It aims at bringing agriculture back to the African development agenda by achieving 6% agricultural growth and having each African state spend not less than 10% of its national budget for the promotion of agriculture. So far 14 countries have signed a CAADP compact, which is an agreement for partnerships, alliances, and dialogue to design and implement the required policy interventions and investment programmes to achieve the CAADP targets. The German support comes through GTZ and InWEnt in the fields of institutional development, training, technical advisory services and other forms of capacity development.

African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

The APRM is an innovative African self-monitoring mechanism, voluntarily acceded to by African states. The instrument is worldwide unique. It encourages and monitors adherence to norms and standards in four areas:

Democracy and Political Governance,
Economic Governance and Management,
Corporate Governance and
Socio-Economic Development.

The APRM promotes peer learning through constructive dialogue. So far 30 of the 53 member states covering more than 75% of the African population have acceded to the APRM. 12 countries have been reviewed so far. Germany has supported the APRM process by fostering exchange of experiences at regional and continental level and by supporting the implementation of the APRM process at national level.

Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI)

CABRI is a professional network of senior budget officials in ministries of finance and planning from across Africa. Established in 2005, it promotes the efficient and effective management of public finances to foster economic growth and enhance service delivery for the improvement of living standards in Africa. CABRI provides senior budget officials an important forum for peer learning. It constitutes a platform for them to share experiences, discuss key topics and issues related to public finance management, disseminate good practices, make explicit successful reform practices and develop and promote common African positions on budgetary issues of interest to Africa. Germany assists CABRI by providing technical and financial support to strengthen the work of the Secretariat to facilitate peer learning and build a knowledge base in public finance management. Germany is supporting the institutional process for CABRI to become an international organization.