On September 18, the House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa held a hearing to discuss the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), also referred to as the “development arm of the new African Union.” NEPAD, an African initiative consisting of 53-member nations, aims to eradicate poverty in Africa, as well as help the continent’s nations sustain economic growth and development. Subcommittee Chair Ed Royce (R-CA) opened the hearing by expressing his hope that NEPAD “meets its goals of bettering African lives.”
Stephen Hayes of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) stressed that “the rate of the spread of HIV/AIDS will not be reduced without leadership from the African continent.” He added that the CCA will determine how they may “contribute to national and regional health planning groups so that HIV/AIDS and other diseases affecting economies of Africa may be eradicated.”
During his testimony, Adotei Akwei of Amnesty International expressed key concerns and recommendations for NEPAD. He recommended that NEPAD include specific details on the “promotion, protection, and enforcement of fundamental human rights,” and added that NEPAD should refer to The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, among other human rights standards.
In addition, Mr. Akwei recommended that NEPAD include guidelines for empowering African women and ending gender-based discrimination. Mr. Akwei said, “if NEPAD hopes to mobilize and harness the energy, creativity and support of the African people, it will have to address the goals of and work with the continent’s women as equal and crucial stakeholders and adopt their goals and priorities.” He stressed that NEPAD should incorporate the input of African women’s groups, incorporate “the goals of the Africa platform of the 1994 Beijing Women’s Conference,” and lastly, NEPAD should “include among its key goals expediting the ratification of the Additional Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on Women’s Rights.”
