NEPAD boss identifies parliamentarians as key to regional integration

Accra, May 16, GNA - Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency, has expressed his willingness and commitment to work closely with members of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) to support PAP's activities.

"As law makers, parliamentarians are key to facilitating major national, regional and continental reforms. Our parliamentarians are key to championing those policies that can foster regional integration," he said.


A press release issued from the NEPAD Secretariat and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Dr Mayaki was speaking at the fourth ordinary session of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) held in Midrand, South Africa.


He called for the setting up of a joint PAP-NEPAD Agency technical committee to identify joint activities and initiatives on emerging issues of relevance to Africa's development.


He said the NEPAD Agency was making steady progress, particularly around issues of food security and infrastructure, adding 93The Agency is working closely with the Regional Economic Communities in the roll-out of programmes and projects and we hope to make headway."


Dr Mayaki noted that 26 countries had signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) compacts and one regional compact by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 96 thereby highlighting the roll-out of Africa's blue print for agriculture-led development.

"In infrastructure, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Agency have jointly provided technical coordination support for the take-off of the Presidential Infrastructure Initiative."


Dr. Mayaki said NEPAD continuously needed to be taken to the people and reiterated the Agency's commitment to work with PAP in framing an enabling environment that could enhance focused, realistic and pragmatic development programmes and projects.


Speaking on behalf of the PAP Committee for Transport, Industry, Energy and Technology, Mr Mostefa Boudina, the Committee Chairperson, called for the fast-tracking of NEPAD programme implementation specifically around infrastructure.


He reiterated the need for synergies between PAP and the Agency and called for the popularization of the NEPAD agenda amongst PAP members.


Ms Marie Rose Nguini Effa, Chairperson of the Committee on Health, commended the progress being made by the NEPAD initiative on African Medicines Registration and Harmonization (AMRH), which was aimed at promoting the harmonisation of drug regulation in order to reduce barriers to research, registration, production of and access to safe essential medicines in Africa.