South Africa / African experts call on ministers to prioritize social development
JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, October 30, 2008/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Experts meeting at their First session of the African Union (AU) Conference of the Ministers in charge of Social Development which started on Monday, October 27th 2008 in Windhoek, Namibia ended today, Wednesday, October 29th 2008 with several recommendations on ways and means to put social issues high on the Agenda of the African Continent.
The main purpose of the Experts Meeting was to discuss and improve on the Draft Social Policy Framework for Africa (SPF) and the Study on Social Protection to be submitted for adoption to the AU Ministers in charge of Social Development. Worth recalling that the aim of the SPF is to provide an overarching policy structure to assist African Union Member states in the development of their national social policies to promote human empowerment and development. It will serve as a coordination tool for African countries that face the challenge of implementation due to governance, financial and or management problems.
In their recommendations, the Experts mainly highlighted the need to mainstream social development in all poverty reduction strategies, to set it as a priority and allocate enough financial resources for the implementation of social policies. Experts emphasized the fact that social development cannot be isolated from economic development stating that without healthy people, economic growth cannot be sustained. Therefore, African Experts insisted that investment should be increased in the social sector, which was for a long time considered as a minor sector.
As from tomorrow, 30th to 31st October 2008, the African Union Ministers in charge of Social Development will review the recommendations for adoption mainly those on the Draft Social Policy Framework for Africa (SPF) and the Study on Social Protection. The Ministers will also adopt the Windhoek Declaration on Social Development which recalls commitments made on social development on the continent and the way forward. In addition, they will adopt the African Common Position on Social Integration which will constitute Africa’s contribution to the 47th United Nations Commission on Social Development to be held in New York in February 2009
SOURCE : African Union Commission (AUC)
