African Union ECOSOCC - Ghana - Jah Kente International ®, Inc.

The underlying purposes of the Partnership between Jah Kente International, Ghana and the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council of African Union - Ghana National Chapter are to:

1) Exemplify a working model of public-private partnerships between citizens, including those in the Diaspora, and governments, including local governments, in sensitizing and actualizing the goals of Agenda 2063. These include sensitizing flagship programs; themes of the year; and programs championed by African Heads of State on behalf of the African Union.

3) Create an Inclusive Citizenry Model for National Agenda 2063 Focal Group - ECOSOCC Ghana Chapter. This will necessarily include civil society organizations of Member States respectively registered at home and in the Diaspora through their Embassies.

3) Promote mutual cooperation between local communities and Historical African Diaspora communities through educational and cultural exchange; hesitate tourism and trade.

Jah Kente International, Ghana facilitates these developments through material support and fiscal agency.

THE LAUNCH OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULATURAL COUNCIL OF THE AFRICAN UNION - GHANA CHAPTER OF AUGUST 31, 2016: CLICK

There cannot be a viable and productive African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC) at the Continental Level with strong and producing National Chapters. The vital and unique role of the National Chapters is pronounced in the Ten Year Strategic Development Plan of Agenda 2063.

Agenda 2063 is the Roadmap for Africa's development and the African Union entrusts AU ECOSOCC with the preeminent role of galvanizing and engaging the civil society on the journey to the Africa We Want. This mandate inevitably places the organ as the Conscience of the Continent- because it is through AU ECOSOCC that citizens can officially make their distinctiveness voices heard with evidence-based Advisory Report that the organ is expected to produce, enabling participation, and building viable public-private partnerships.

But what has been seldom mentioned are the National Chapters whose visibility and viability are vital for the organ to function at the optimal level proficiency because the National level, which includes the local jurisdictions, is the fundamental starting point in the implementation of Agenda 2063. The National Chapters are to be formed with corresponding Clusters as at the the Continental level. The official working relationship must exist for both levels to be effective.

The reason why the National Chapter is silent is because it does not does exist in at least 90% of Member States, which is generously saying at least 5 are functioning out of the expected 55. AU ECOSOCC Ghana is the few,even among those launched, to have a functioning presence.

The information, below, is crucial to understand the exact expectations from AU ECOSOCC and the subsidiarity role of the National Chapters as set fort in the Agenda 2063 Ten Year Strategic Plan from 2014-2023.

IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 2063

Ownership/Adoption by Regional Economic Communities, Member States and AU Organs:
Every Member State should set up a National Agenda 2063 Focal Group made up of civil society and private sector entities directly linked to the ECOSOCC of the AU whose responsibility amongst others will be:
(i) tracking the progress being made at the national level with respect to the implementation of Agenda 2063
(ii) playing advocacy roles to ensure and sustain strong political commitment at the national and sub-national levels for the implementation of Agenda 2063
(iii) engaging in public education and participation in the Agenda 2063 process and
(iv) generation of ideas for the updating of the Agenda 2063 process.

Ensuring National commitment: To ensure that Member States adopt Agenda 2063 there will be:
(i) a bi-annual score card prepared and published on the progress made towards the implementation of Agenda 2063 at the national level and
(ii) a five year African Peer Review Mechanism for all Member States whose score card review are found to be unsatisfactory.

There will be an bi-annual review / advocacy reports by the National Focal groups to the ECOSOCC of the AU showing the level of national leadership commitment to /and progress towards the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Agenda 2063.

Guidelines at the Continental Level: ECOSOCC will hold bi-annual consultations with the Member States Focal Groups for Agenda 2063.

Guidelines at the National Level: Create Agenda 2063 non-Governmental Advisory Group based on guidelines to be issued by the ECOSOCC. The Group will be the champions for Agenda 2063 in the Member States and will facilitate social accountability by all stakeholders.

Funding of Advisory Group: Make provision or introduce a citizens levy to fund in-country ECOSOCC designated Focal group on Agenda 2063.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Continental Level: ECOSOCC: shall through the reports of National Advisory Groups on Agenda 2063, prepare a continental monitoring and evaluation report from the perspective of the African social pressure groups.

National Level: Create Agenda 2063 non-Governmental Advisory Group based on guidelines to be issued by the ECOSOCC. The Group will be the champions for Agenda 2063 in the Member States and will facilitate social accountability by all stakeholders.
Critical Success Factors and Strategies

Leadership and Political Commitment: To ensure political commitment Agenda 2063 National Advisory Groups made up of non-state actors facilitated by the ECOSOCC of the AU will provide advocacy, participate and monitor the implementation of Agenda 2063. It is supposed to engage the political leadership at all times with respect to the implementation of Agenda 2063.

Participation, inclusion and empowerment of Citizens: The implementation framework for the Ten Year Plan makes provision for facilitating in collaboration with members states government setting up and galvanizing non-state actors in the domestication, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of Agenda 2063. In addition, there is to be an annual Continental Stakeholder Platform where stakeholders from all formations of the African Continent, including the diaspora, will participate in discussions on progress on Agenda 2063 implementation.