29 January 2021, Addis Ababa – The African Union (AU) Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today kicked off a year-long project, “AU at 20: A Renewed Call to Action for the 21st Century”, to mark the 20th anniversary since the establishment of the AU. Endorsed by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, the project will undertake a data-driven study to assess progress and chart a renewed call to action towards achieving Agenda 2063 (The Africa We Want) and the UN’s Agenda 2030.

2022 will mark 20 years since the Durban Summit, which established the AU, and almost 70 years since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Since then, the continent has experienced rapid economic growth and developed normative frameworks on development, peace and security, and governance. However, the continent is yet to fully consolidate the successes of recent years and address persistent economic, governance and societal challenges. The study aims to propose new ideas and innovative ways in supporting AU member states toward an accelerated pathway for achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The kick-off meeting was attended by representatives from the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa, the Office of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, the Department of Peace and Security, the Department of Political Affairs, the Directorate for Information and Communication, the Department of Infrastructure and Energy, the Office of Legal Counsel, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

The AUC and UNDP will work towards the development of a research methodology, data collection and analysis process to produce a compendium that assesses where the continent is, where we ought to be and set a clear roadmap for sustainable and equitable progress across the continent.

Further, a series of dialogues will be organized across the continent to present the findings of the study to enable all stakeholders make inputs and validate the study.  The final compendium will then be produced and launched in 2022 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the AU.

Media contacts:

AU: Janet Faith Adhiambo Ochieng, Communications Officer-Agenda 2063, OchiengJ@africa-union.org

UNDP: Michelle Mendi Muita, Regional Programme Communications Specialist, michellemendi.muita@undp.org