Gaborone, Botswana, 11 July 2023 – The SADC National Planning Entities (NPEs) held their second annual conference in Gaborone, Botswana, on July 6-7, 2023. The conference, organized under the SADC NPE Platform, brought together representatives from 13 SADC member states, along with officials from the SADC Secretariat, the Economic Commission for Africa, and other stakeholders.
The primary objective of the conference was to assess the progress made since the relaunch of the NPE Platform and deliberate on strategic and operational matters. The two-day event provided an opportunity for participants to share best practices and tools, engage in discussions, and exchange knowledge on topics related to development planning and NDPs’ execution.
The conference commenced with opening remarks from distinguished speakers, including Ms. Angele Makombo N'tumba, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Regional Integration, who highlighted the importance of the NPE Platform in bridging the gap between regional development initiatives and national development plans. Ms. Isatou Gaye, speaking on behalf of the Director of the ECA Subregional Office for Southern Africa, emphasized the role of development planning as a catalyst for sustainable transformation. Mr. Daniel Epembe Mosango, Chairperson of the SADC NPE Platform, outlined recent NPEs’ activities and underscored the importance of peace and security for successful implementation of development plans in the region.
Throughout the conference, several presentations were delivered, covering various aspects of development planning. These included general insights on the SADC regional integration agenda, the role of financing, monitoring and evaluation for impactful execution of National Development Plans (NDPs), and the application of foresight and innovation in planning processes. The presentations generated lively discussions, highlighting the interest and commitment of the NPEs to collaborate and strengthen the Platform's activities in ensuring implementation and execution of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).
The technical and practical elements of the NPE Platform's work were the focus of the second day. Participants received a detailed presentation from ECA on the concept and functionalities of the Online Platform, which was well received; progress on the work was found commendable. Mr. Oumar Diakhate, President of AfCoP, shared lessons from the African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results (AfCoP-MfDR), emphasizing the benefits of national-level activities complementing regional efforts.
The conference also witnessed presentations on the terms of reference and the establishment of the NPEs Platform Champions and Technical Working Groups. The initiatives received enthusiastic support from the participants, who urged the nomination of high-profile figures to support the Platform's agenda. The proposed structure of the Working Groups will be reviewed and finalized by the technical team, with the aim of launching them in the near future.
The closing remarks of the meeting were delivered by Ms Isatou Gaye, Chief of the Subregional Initiatives Sections at ECA SRO-SA, and the Chairperson of the Platform, Mr Daniel Epembe Mosango. The speakers expressed their gratitude to the participation NPEs, as well as the SADC Secretariat, for the effort undertaken in convening this important conference, which provided a valuable platform for NPEs from SADC member states to strengthen collaboration, exchange best practices, and enhance the alignment between regional and national development planning.
Issued by:
The Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa
UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
P.O. Box 30647, Lusaka, Zambia.
Media Contacts:
Ms. Lavender Degre,
Communication Officer,
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Email: lavender.degre@un.org