In a press briefing at the AU headquarters, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Erastus Mwencha said, “we have all agreed that the exercise of preparing agenda for 2063 must be consultative and participatory.” The African Agenda for 2063 would be ready by May 2014, he said.
The Deputy Chairperson also stated that the draft of strategic plan for 2014-2017 is formally prepared after extensive consultation with regional economic commissions and other stakeholders.
Growth and transformation, regional integration, peace and stability, gender equality and agriculture are among the eight areas of priorities that have been identified in the strategic plan, according to Mwencha.
Member states have committed themselves to cover the finance for the implementation of the strategic plan, he said. The Deputy Chairperson said the strategic plan has a very strong element of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for its implementation.
The Executive Council has also agreed on the draft budget of AUC for the year 2014 to be $308 million, he said.
The draft budget and the Strategic Plan would be presented to the 21st Summit of the Heads of State and Government to be convened from 26-27 May 2013 for approval.
By Mulugeta Kussa