AU 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting kicks off in Nairobi

The Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5th MYCM) of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities, the Regional Mechanisms and the African Union Member States kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday with the participation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

The meeting convenes under the AU theme of the year 2023 “Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation”, with the participation of 13 African states.

President Sisi will deliver a speech during the summit reviewing Egypt’s plan, in light of its chairmanship of the steering committee of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) heads of state during the coming two years.

Sisi, in his capacity as the president of the Climate Change Conference (COP27) summit that was held late last year in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, will also highlight Egypt’s efforts in the face of climate change and its impact on African countries.

The Egyptian president will discuss with African heads of state the progress made so far in the trade integration program among African countries and means to support the continental integration steps topped by the freedom of travel, a unified African passport and connecting African financial markets and infrastructure.

The president will also hold talks with his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto – on the sidelines of the summit – to review means of boosting bilateral cooperation, ways to address African issues, along with the latest regional and international issues of mutual concern, with a view to propelling development in Africa.

The AU mid-year meeting in Nairobi will focus on boosting continental integration during its fifth MYCM set for 16 July, said a statement issued by the AU.

The MYCM was conceptualized in 2017 as the principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/ July summits.

The meeting will also explore establishing a common African market to accelerate trade, agriculture, establishment of businesses, and transfer of skills in Africa, added the statement.

To accelerate these efforts, the meeting will discuss the division of labor between the AU, RECs, RMs, and member states, anchored on the principles of subsidiarity, complementary, and competitive advantage.

The division of labor is centered around six pillars: policy planning and formulation; policy adoption; policy implementation; monitoring, evaluation and reporting; resource mobilization; and partnerships.

Also on the agenda will be the financing of Agenda 2063, focusing on Africa’s economic recovery and the implementation of initiatives to address challenges in agriculture, infrastructure, debt, climate change, security, energy, and health.

The meeting will conclude with a declaration.