The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), a specialized agency of the African Union for capacity development has called on development stakeholders across Africa to join forces and drive implementation of its new strategic plan and service offerings for human and institutional transformation in Africa.
Mr. Mamadou Biteye, Executive Secretary of ACBF, presented on the service offerings and opportunities for partnership of the ACBF Strategic Plan 2023-2027. He highlighted its four key pillars: Climate Change and Energy for productive use, Agribusiness and Food Sovereignty, Trade as an engine of economic development, and Economic and Social governance.
“This summit is also part of implementing this strategy, you will find that subsequent summits will focus on each of the strategic pillars. We chose the third pillar – Trade as an engine of economic development, because the African Union’s theme for the year is, “Acceleration of AfCFTA implementation.” Biteye said.
“We will be focusing on two things in trade. The first one is domestication of trade agreements- regional and sub-regional. The second part is awareness and utilization by our private sector,” he added.
Biteye unpacked the ACBF business model comprising of four service offerings, that is, the Africa Capacity Building Academy, the Institutional Accelerator Model, the Capacity Knowledge Hub and Fiscal Agency.
The Executive Secretary announced the launch of the African School of Regulation, which was launched in September in Nairobi Kenya, on the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit. This school falls under the capacity building academy, with another school dealing with Taxation and Tax-related issues under development.
The Institutional Accelerator Model is available to any institution, to build and enhance their institutional capacities. The Capacity Knowledge Hub generates and disseminates knowledge on topical issues affecting the continent, whilst the Fiscal Agency manages funds for donors for disbursement on their behalf. ACBF is currently doing this for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Biteye reiterated that ACBF is open for partnerships across several of its ongoing projects under the four pillars, and shared some of the programs underway, such as the Strengthening African Leadership for Climate Adaptation(SALCA) program, Empowering Women and youth in Agriculture program, Capacity Development for intra-Africa trade and implementation program, Leadership and Governance in Public Finance Management program, just to name a few.
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Tsitsi Chakonza, +263777879339