Gleneagles Implementation Plan for Africa: Monthly reports

Related pages: G8 Home | Africa one year on from Gleneagles |  Africa one year on from Gleneagles - Questions and Answers | Two years on from the UK Presidency of the G8
 

Following Gleneagles, the UK Government devised a ‘Gleneagles Implementation Plan for Africa’ with a series of UK-identified international milestones to be met each month tracking delivery of the commitments made at Gleneagles. The following Monthly updates for the period from September 2005 to June 2006, and August 2006 to July 2007 were produced.

Milestones

Box 1. The outcomes that the UK was looking for by the end of 2006 on Africa and Development

Box 2. The outcomes the UK was looking for by July 2007 on Africa and Development:

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Monthly progress reports between August 2006 and July 2007

• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007
• January 2007
• December 2006
• November 2006
• October 2006
• September 2006
• August 2006

Monthly progress reports between September 2005 and June 2006

• June 2006
• May 2006
• April 2006
• March 2006
• February 2006
• January 2006
• December 2005
• November 2005
• October 2005
• September 2005

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Progress since the update of July 2006

August 2006

• Malawi became the 20th country to reach Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Completion Point on 31 August and become eligible for 100% debt cancellation under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. The UK will provide 100% cancellation of all bilateral debts, in addition to the debt relief that Malawi will receive from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and - from September - the African Development Fund.

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September 2006

• African Development Fund implemented the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. Sixteen countries (including Malawi) now receiving 100% debt cancellation from the African Development Fund, backdated to 1 January 2006.
• Climate for Development in Africa (Global Climate Observation System (GCOS)) Implementation Meeting, 4 September, Ethiopia, involving the UK and the main African political players including Africa Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Finalised arrangements for the Climate Development Africa Programme. The programme is expected to be launched at the AU Summit in January 2007 and be operational in September 2007. It will be managed by the joint Secretariat of the AU, UNECA and the African Development Bank in Addis Abba.
• World Bank/International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings, 18-20 September, Singapore. An Interim report on the progress of 17 African countries in developing 10-Year Education Plans was presented and the UK, Canada, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands agreed this demonstrated the need to provide long-term predictable financing. The UK announced £150 million for Mozambique over ten years for education. The Clean Energy Investment Framework progress report was approved – this issue is scheduled to be discussed again at the Spring Meetings.
• International Drug Purchase Facility (UNITAID) launch, 19 September, UN General Assembly, New York. This new facility will contribute niche financing for AIDS, TB and malaria through drugs provision and negotiating bulk purchases. The UK is making a 20 year contribution, starting with £15 million in 2007 and rising to £40 million a year by 2010 subject to performance. France has been a leading exponent for UNITAID, and is aiming to raise €200 million a year (£135 million) to fund their participation through their Air Passenger Tax. Norway has offered about €25 million (£17 million) a year whilst Brazil and Chile will make smaller contributions from air passenger levies. UNITAID’s inaugural Board Meeting approved its first round of projects in October 2006.
• African Union/NEPAD Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) First Partnership Platform Meeting, 28-29 September, South Africa. The meeting confirmed that addressing the poor performance of African agriculture remains a high priority. With respect to implementation of CAADP, concern was expressed about the potential gulf between political statements and the reality ‘on the ground’. Participants agreed on the need to promote greater coherence between CAADP principles and regional and country level policies and programmes. The NEPAD Secretariat was charged with taking forward a number of key actions.

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October 2006

• African Union Peace and Security meeting 24 September – 6 October, Pretoria. Finalised the set of military policy approaches for the African Standby Force (ASF). The papers were developed in earlier technical workshops and form a key building block for the further development of the ASF. The agreed papers will shortly be submitted to African Chiefs of Defence staff and Ministers together with a series of recommendations for the next steps of ASF development.
• Gleneagles Dialogue Energy and Environment Ministerial, 2-4 October, Mexico. The meeting heard a presentation by Sir Nick Stern on the outcome of the UK’s review on the Economics of Climate Change. It also reviewed progress by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and World Bank on the tasks they were invited to undertake at Gleneagles and progress by ‘Dialogue countries’ (the twenty countries with the greatest energy needs) under the Gleneagles Plan of Action. The meeting agreed on the importance of urgent action in combating climate change and concluded that, whilst there were still differences of views, the private sector is beginning to understand that carbon emissions have a price. And that this price can be reflected in their activities and their investment decisions, allowing the power of the market to be used to combat climate change. It was therefore recognised that progress is needed in international negotiations to agree a tough but fair price for carbon emissions.
• International Drug Purchase Facility (UNITAID), first Board meeting 9-10 October, Geneva. Approved US$ 35 million for paediatric Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment to reach up to 200,000 children suffering from AIDS over 2007-2008. UNITAID will also provide US$ 70 million to fund the scale-up of second line treatment for 100,000 people in 2007.
• Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI) technical meeting, 9-10 October, Brussels. Agreement reached on an expanded FTI Catalytic Fund to support longer term financial commitments for education plans (for endorsement at the FTI partnership meeting in Cairo, 13-14 November). FTI and donor agencies welcomed the momentum generated by the Abuja ‘Financing for Development’ meeting in May and the Singapore Ministerial Roundtable meetings in September this year.
• World Trade Organisation (WTO) General Council meeting 10-11 October, Geneva. While the main WTO trade talks remain disappointingly suspended, the General Council formally approved the recommendations of the Aid for Trade Task Force. This should enable donors to implement commitments to significantly increase aid to help poor countries trade (US$ 4 billion per year by 2010, as pledged at the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial in December 2005).
• UN Peace Building Fund launch held first meetings on Burundi and Sierra Leone on 12-13 October and agreed focus areas for both countries. Peace building Fund launched 11 October. UK pledged £30 million over 3 years (2006-09).
• Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) conference 16-17 October, Oslo. Five countries reported against EITI criteria, i.e. reconciled reports of revenues received against company payments made. A further four countries are expected to complete by December. Agreement reached on the EITI International Advisory Group recommendations, including how the EITI will verify that countries and companies which say they are implementing EITI principles are doing so; and on the future arrangements for EITI including the establishment of the EITI Board.
• European General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting 16-17 October, Luxemburg. EU Development and Foreign Ministers received an update from the Commission and Council Secretariat on progress on delivering the EU and Africa Strategic Partnership package agreed December 2005. Agreed to increase the focus on governance in European programming in Africa, and to establish EU-Africa Infrastructure Partnership.Read the report.
• UN General Assembly Resolution secured on 26 October by an overwhelming majority vote (139 out of 192 Member States) to start a UN process leading to negotiations on an international, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty covering all conventional weapons.
• Africa Partnership Forum (APF) 26-27 October, Moscow. The APF agreed its first three reports on donor and African progress against commitments covering HIV and AIDS, agriculture and infrastructure. The APF commissioned further reports from the APF Support Unit and Germany offered to host the next meeting in May 2007.

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November 2006

• Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Board, 1-3 November, Guatemala. Round Six of new grants was fully funded and approved (comprising 85 proposals totalling US$ 846 million over two years). The International Drug Purchase Facility (UNITAID) contributed US$ 52.5 million to finance the purchase of drugs and help increase the number of patients on treatment. The Board failed to select a new Executive Director, but aims to announce the new appointee at a special Board meeting in Geneva in mid-February 2007.
• International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFm) first bonds launched, 6 November on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Raised US $1 billion for immunisation, to be channelled through the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation). Overall, the UK has committed £1.38 billion of funds to IFFIm, which is also financially backed by France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Brazil and South Africa. The IFFIm will raise US$ 4 billion in total through bond releases, which will be spent over the next 10 years to enable a substantial increase in funds for improving basic health services and supporting vaccination programmes in over 70 low-income countries through the GAVI Alliance.
• Advance Market Commitment (AMC) partners meeting, 9 November, London. Continued preparations towards planned launch of a pilot project for a Pneumococcus vaccine in early 2007. Pneumococcal disease kills 1.6 million people a year and a successful AMC could save up to 5 million lives by 2030. The UK, together with Italy and Canada, committed to providing US$ 1 billion - two thirds of the total expected project spend. Together, we are working to persuade other donors to provide the remaining US$ 0.5 billion (including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation).
• Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Donor Consultation, 15-16 November, Geneva. Recognising the need for improved donor coordination to support African agriculture, donors asked the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) to help facilitate this and work closely with the AU, NEPAD and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The UK (£210,000 over 3 years), Sweden, and the US agreed to provide funding to the GDPRD to do this.
• UNESCO High-level Group on Education For All (EFA) meeting, 14-16 November, Cairo. Reviewed progress on resource mobilisation to achieve the Education and Gender Millennium Development Goals and application of the EFA Global Action Plan. The EFA Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Partnership meeting just beforehand approved the expansion of the FTI Catalytic Fund to help achieve the Education MDG and France announced a contribution of €20 million.
• Extraordinary Conference of the African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST), 21-24 November, Cairo. Took forward plans for a new Africa Science and Innovation Facility (ASIF), which will support implementation of the AU/NEPAD Consolidated Plan of Action for Science and Technology, and preparations for the AU Summit in January 2007 (where the broad theme is Science and Technology for Development).
• Investment Climate Facility (ICF) Board of Trustees, 27 November, Johannesburg. Confirmed that the ICF has raised almost US$ 150 million for its work. Three more corporate investors (CelTel, Coca Cola and Standard Bank) have joined since the launch. It has appointed Mr Dipak Patel, former Zambian Minister of Trade and Commerce, as a trustee. A Chief Executive Officer should be appointed soon. The Board approved funding of three major projects (the Rwanda Commercial Justice, Business and Land Registration, the African Law Institute and the NetTel, African telecommunications project) with a total value of US$ 12.9 million.

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December 2006

• UN General Assembly passed a resolution to allow a process towards agreeing an Arms Trade Treaty on 6 December, New York. In 2007 the UN Secretary General will seek the views of member states on the “feasibility, scope and draft parameters” of a treaty. In 2008 a Group of Governmental Experts will be set up to look at these issues and to report back to the October First Committee.
• UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), 1st Replenishment Conference, 7 December, New York. 49 donors pledged a total of US$ 345 million for 2007 so far. This is a significant increase on contributions for 2006 (US$ 269 million), demonstrating an increased international commitment to predictable, effective humanitarian financing. The UK is the largest contributor (£42.4 million last year, plus £40 million per year for next 3 years).
• European Council, 14-15 December, Brussels. Reviewed progress against the December 2005 EU Strategy for Africa and identified priorities for 2007. Progress in 2006 included the agreement to provide €20 billon of aid for Africa in 2007-2013 including a further €350 million for the Africa Peace Facility; the creation of an EU governance initiative providing incentives for countries to improve social, economic and political governance; and the first EU-Africa Migration Conference. It was agreed that priorities for 2007 would include: agreeing development-focused Economic Partnership Agreements with African countries; reviewing progress on climate change and development; and working up a further joint strategy with African partners, for a future EU-Africa Summit.
• UN Convention Against Corruption, 1st Conference of States’ Parties, 10-14 December, Jordan. Agreement reached on how to take work forward on effective and transparent mechanisms for implementing and monitoring the Convention, as well as for strengthening the framework for international asset recovery and ensuring effective coordination of targeted technical assistance.
• Sierra Leone became the 21st country (17th African) to reach ‘Completion Point’ under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt relief scheme on 15 December. It therefore became eligible for 100% debt cancellation from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank, under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative adopted at Gleneagles. The UK will provide 100% cancellation of all bilateral debts.
• World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Development Round. The Round did not conclude by the end of 2006, as planned. After the suspension of talks in July, informal talks re-commenced in November. We expect these to lead to more substantive discussions in the New Year, with a view to finalising the Round in 2007.

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January 2007

• Third Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) meeting, 17-18 January, Germany. Highlighted the importance of donors maintaining funding increases for infrastructure to meet the Commission for Africa target of an additional US$ 10 billion for Africa per year for infrastructure by 2010. Reviewed progress over the last year on infrastructure finance, the effectiveness of project preparation facilities, and the need for better transportation networks in Africa to support trade and economic growth. China participated for the first time, and gave positive signals of its willingness to work with ICA members.
• World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, 24-28 January, Davos, Switzerland. The Forum was well attended by business leaders, UN agency chiefs, politicians, academics and civil society and non-governmental organisations. Prime Minister Tony Blair urged participants to work together to make faster progress on the three issues that dominated the meeting – world trade, climate change and Africa. Read Tony Blair's speech
• African-Union (AU) Summit, 23-30 January, Ethiopia. Appoints the Republic of Ghana to the Chairmanship of the AU Chair for 2007. The broad theme of the Summit was Science and Technology for Development. Climate change also featured heavily. Sir Nicholas Stern gave a keynote address on the economics of climate change. The AU adopted a declaration on climate change and development, and endorsed the Climate for Development Africa Programme. The UK is planning to commit £5 million towards funding Phase 1 of this initiative. The Summit discussions on peace and security were largely dominated by the crises in Sudan and Somalia, although progress is being made on the broader architecture: the Africa Standby Force plans will be passed to the African Chiefs of Defence Staff for endorsement; and Members of the Panel of the Wise (an AU conflict mediation body) have been nominated. The AU Commission reported back on progress in delivering on the recommendations from the Africa Fertiliser Summit of June 2006.

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February 2007

• Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Special Board meeting, 8 February, Geneva. Announced Professor Michel Kazatchkine, as the next Executive Director, of the Global Fund. Professor Kazatchkine is currently France’s Ambassador for AIDS and Communicable Diseases and will take over from the Fund’s founding Executive Director, Sir Richard Feachem, in April.
• Launch of the first Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for new vaccines, 9 February, Rome, Italy. Attended by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, Paul Wolfowitz President of the World Bank and Ministers from Italy, Canada, Russia, Norway, Malawi and Ghana. The first AMC will target pneumococcal disease, bringing potentially life-saving vaccines more quickly to 100 million children and preventing over 5 million deaths by 2030. Having achieved the political launch, donors and their partners will now refocus their attention on achieving the best institutional, financial, scientific, economic and legal frameworks. The pneumococcal AMC is expected to be operational by the end of 2007.

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March 2007

• The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: Round 7 of new grant proposals launched on 1 March 2007 (to be fully funded and approved at the 16th Board, 14-16 November 2007, in China – US$ 1 billion needed). Funding gap estimated as US$ 0.5 billion of the US$ 1 billion needed. First meeting for the Second Replenishment of the Fund (2008-2010) on 6-7 March, Norway. Donors reviewed the Global Fund’s progress which was still a long way from meeting the health MDGs on HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. Action needed in a number of areas including improving the Fund’s effectiveness in-country and adopting the Paris Declaration targets. The Global Fund’s resource needs were also reviewed with a goal of ensuring predictable and sustainable funding on a significant scale for 2008 to 2010. No new funding pledges were made.
• Education for All (EFA) Fast Track Initiative (FTI) UK hosted meeting of the FTI Fragile States Task team, 6-7 March, London. Further developed a Progressive Framework for working on education in fragile states and will take forward recommendations on how donors and the FTI can provide interim support for fragile states that have not been able to obtain FTI support due to weak capacity. Norwegian hosted meeting of the FTI’s Education Programme Development Fund (EPDF), 8-9 March, Oslo. Considered the effectiveness of the EPDF to date and will report to the 21 May FTI meeting in Bonn.
• Investment Climate Facility (ICF), Board of Trustees meeting, 13 March, London. The Board appointed Amari Issa as Chief Executive Officer for the Trust. Amari Issa, from Tanzania has worked previously for the International Finance Corporation (World Bank group) and CelTel, a highly successful African telecommunications company. The meeting also settled important legal arrangements over the Trust and Trust Fund. With the CEO in place now the ICF will start to build its project portfolio. Approved projects include the Rwanda Investment Climate project and the African Law Institute security of assets project with a customs project promoted by the Business Action for Africa at an advanced stage of development.
• Sao Tome and Principe became the 22nd country (18th African) to reach the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) completion point on 16 March. It will qualify for 100% debt cancellation, from the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank, under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). The HIPC Initiative will also provide substantial cancellation of debt owed to bilateral creditors subject to agreement by the Paris Club.
• Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) – Since the Oslo Conference in October 2006, two more countries (Cameroon and Ghana) have produced EITI reports, making the total to date seven. The UK is working closely with the international community and others to move towards further EITI reporting. New EITI supporting countries include Canada and Belgium.
   

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April 2007

• Annual OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) report published on 3 April, which showed global Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in 2006 was $103.9 billion compared to $106.8 billion in 2005. However, since 2004 there has been a significant increase in global aid - rising by 25% in real terms to just over $100 billion including a record high of $27 billion in disbursements to sub-Saharan Africa. The total UK development assistance for 2006 was £6.85 billion, representing 0.52% of Gross National Income (GNI) on aid. This was an increase of 15.7% in aid since 2005 in cash terms and made the UK the second largest bilateral donor after the US. The UK is committed to reaching 0.7% ODA/GNI by 2013.
• International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings, 14-15 April, Washington. Discussions focused on meeting aid and debt commitments, accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, fragile states, gender, and the Bank’s Africa Action Plan. Side events saw progress on issues including increasing access to water and sanitation, protecting forests in the Congo Basin and recovery of stolen assets.
• The Africa Progress Panel (APP) launched, 24 April, Berlin. Kofi Annan (Chair of the APP) presented to Chancellor Merkel, as current President of the G8 and Prime Minister Tony Blair initial findings on progress towards commitments made to and by Africa at the Gleneagles Summit in 2005. The Communiqué also presented preliminary baseline analysis of progress towards commitments by the European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN). It suggested that at current rates of progress, governments will not meet their target to increase their annual assistance to Africa by $25 billion by 2010. The Panel will go on to analyse their assessments further and identify priority issues for action.
• The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria Board, 25-27 April, Geneva. Inaugural meeting for the new Executive Director, Michel Kazatchkine. The Board agreed direction on the final issues for the 4 year strategy for the Global Fund, the finalisation of which will be in July. Positive progress was made on making it simpler for countries to apply for funding, for example, through allowing applications to be based on certified national strategies for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria, and the introduction of a simplified process for high performing programmes to apply for continued funding.
• World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Development Round. The target is a pro-development conclusion of the Round by end of 2007. This requires agreement on ‘modalities’, before August. The UK Government’s objective remains a world trade deal that will substantially help poor countries, provide extra aid for private sector development, cut agriculture subsidies and end export subsidies.

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May 2007

• High-Level Education “Keeping our Promises on Education”, 2 May, Brussels. The event, co-hosted by the European Commission (EC) and the World Bank, and supported by the UK, welcomed the strong progress Africa had made and the new agreement with the private sector to work in developing countries to support education. The UK announced £500 million over the next 10 years to support education plans drawn up by Governments of Ethiopia and Tanzania. The EC committed €1.7 billion for education from its development budget and additionally €22 million for the Fast Track Initiative (FTI). The World Bank announced its investment of $1.5 billion in 2007 and at least that much in 2008. Germany announced an extra €8 million and Japan a further $2.4 million to the FTI. New donors such as the Soros Foundation promised an investment of $5 million in support of Liberia’s education plans if matched by other donors and called for public-private partnerships to be developed for each country.
• European General Affairs and External Relations Council 14-15 May, Brussels. Development Ministers reviewed progress against the EU Aid Volume Targets. The Council welcomed the progress made in implementing the commitments and reaffirmed the target to collectively achieve 0.56% ODA/GNI by 2010. It also urged those Member States who had not reached the target for 2006 or were not on track to make concerted efforts to reach those targets. The Council encouraged Member States to work on national ODA timetables, by the end of 2007.
• EU AU Ministerial Troika meeting 15 May, Brussels. The European Commission, European Council Secretariat, European Presidency, African Union Commission and African Union Presidency approved the initial outline of a new Joint EU Africa Strategy expected to be adopted at the EU Africa Summit later this year. Ministers tasked the EU and Africa Experts Troika to develop the outline in consultation with all stakeholders.
• Education for All (EFA) Fast Track Initiative’s (FTI), Catalytic Strategy Committee. Germany hosted, in Bonn, progress report meetings of the FTI Education Programme Development Fund (EPDF) Strategy Committee, 22 May, FTI Expanded Catalytic Fund Steering Committee, 23 May and FTI Technical Meeting of Donor Partners, 24-25 May. Thirty-one countries are now FTI endorsed. Fifteen countries are pending endorsement for 2007 and a further fifteen for 2008. Total pledges amount to $82 million for the EPDF through 2009 and $1.2 billion for the Expanded Catalytic Fund through 2009. The Expanded Catalytic Fund Steering Committee approved new allocations totalling $265 million to 7 countries. Spain announced a contribution of €10 million for the FTI in 2007.
• Africa Partnership Forum (APF) 22-23 May, met in Berlin to discuss papers on key challenges to development in Africa: climate change, investment, peace and security and gender. The key messages on these issues were endorsed by African country representatives and their main development partners, and also reflect the views of civil society. Twenty African countries, the G8 countries, the European Commission and eleven OECD countries were represented along with a number of regional African organisations, the World Bank, World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund. The papers and Chairs' summaries will help ensure that African governments and development partners deliver on their promises in these fields. They provide agreed messages to take to national and multilateral forums, to national parliaments and to the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm and July AU summit. The next APF will be in October in Algeria.
• Second Financing for Development Conference (follow-up to the May 2006 Conference in Abuja, Nigeria), 30-31 May Ghana. The Conference was attended by African Finance and Energy Ministers, development partners, civil society and the private sector. The theme was energy, infrastructure and its contribution to economic growth. There was a strong endorsement of: energy’s key contribution to productivity and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); the need for more strategic longer term national energy planning; the importance of regional infrastructure; and the challenges of ensuring adequate financing, particular for post-conflict countries. The UK announced its second contribution, of £60 million, to the African Catalytic Growth Fund. The next Financing for Development meeting will take place in 2008, in Rwanda.

June 2007

• G8 Summit 6-8 June, Heligendamm, Germany. The G8 reiterated the commitments made at Gleneagles including on aid, debt relief, universal access to AIDS prevention, treatment and care and free basic education for all and set out how to achieve these commitments in more detail. This included a pledge of $60 billion for AIDS prevention, treatment and care; a commitment to work with others to meet the estimated shortfall of Education For All Fast Track Initiative by $500 million (for 2007) and to find solutions to sustainable financing of African peacekeeping. There was also agreement that major emitters should be involved in a post-2012 climate change framework agreement with the UN at its heart, and that this agreement should involve a substantial cut in global emissions. Japan committed to make Africa and poverty reduction a priority in next year’s summit. Much more needs to be done to meet the 2005 commitments.
• Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) was launched, 13 June at the World Economic Forum for Africa in Cape Town. The AECF will provide funding for business innovations that improve the economic prospects of the most excluded in Africa, as employees, entrepreneurs or consumers, focusing on agro-business and the financial sector. The UK will provide $20 million over three years to the AECF. The African Development Bank, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have also made commitments to AECF, which is expected to become operational in early 2008.
• European Council, 26-27 June, Brussels. Heads of State and Government looked forward to the EU Africa Summit due in Lisbon in December 2007. They also underlined the need for continued close cooperation with the African Union on a new Joint EU Africa Strategy for the Summit. The intention to establish an Africa-EU energy partnership was also welcomed. The Council reaffirmed the commitments undertaken in the EU Strategy "The EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership", particularly support for the African Union's capacity in conflict management, resolution and prevention.
• UN Secretary General (UNSG) arms trade treaty consultation: A UK-backed UN General Assembly resolution, passed last December, mandated the UN Secretary General to seek views on the case for and scope of a future treaty, in advance of a meeting of government experts next year. More than 80 states fed in views by the June deadline. This level of response to a UN process is unprecedented.

July 2007

• African-Union (AU) Summit 2- 3 July, Accra, Ghana. The Accra Declaration reconfirmed the Member States desire for political unity and ultimately a United States of Africa. Decisions were taken on conflict and the African Union Commission. South Africa completed their peer review process under the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

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Annex 1: Milestones achieved in the first 12 months after Gleneagles (up to July 2006)

September 2005

• AIDS funding conference: US$3.7 billion replenishment of Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed to draw up an initial plan for universal access to AIDS treatment by March 2006. The Steering Committee is established – chaired by UNAIDS and UK – and regional and country consultations are underway to identify obstacles and identify how to translate commitments into action; report presented to the UN General Assembly high level meeting on 31 May to 2 June 2006.
• UN Financing for Development Conference: UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden launched the US$4 billion International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) which aims to save 5 million lives by 2015 from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and measles. Norway added their support in December.
• UN Millennium Review Summit (World Summit): Reaffirmed key Gleneagles commitments on aid, health, education and conflict. Agreed on Responsibility to Protect, to establish the Peace Building Commission, and reform humanitarian assistance.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) / World Bank Annual Meetings: Agreed G8 multilateral debt cancellation proposal. World Bank conditionality guidelines approved.

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October 2005

• Africa Partnership Forum: agreed to finalise a Joint Africa-donors Action Plan by next meeting and establish a small support unit, hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, to monitor implementation of all commitments.
• First meeting of the International Consortium on Infrastructure for Africa: Agreed to establish an implementation secretariat in the Africa Development Bank in Tunis by January 2006 and to identify funding for at least five regional infrastructure projects on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) priority short list by June 2006.

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November 2005

• Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM): Heads of State reaffirmed commitment to Doha Development Agenda for World Trade Organisation (WTO).

December 2005

• G7 Finance Ministers Meeting: Agreed to work with others on developing a pilot Advance Market Commitment in 2006 in order to develop new technologies for tackling infectious diseases. Discussions underway with expert bodies on the diseases to be addressed. A report will be prepared for World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings on a possible pilot, setting out the choice of diseases for the pilot and a proposal for an Independent Assessment Committee.
• Education for All High Level Meeting: Convened in Beijing by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Fast Track Initiative, and UN Girls’ Education Initiative. Agreed to doubling current levels of Official Development Assistance to basic education, to remove school fees, and to scale up efforts to boost girls’ participation and female literacy.
• European Council: New EU partnership with Africa agreed, including a focus on health, education and basic services; trade capacity building; infrastructure and growth; conflict prevention; and peace building. EU Member States agreed on 12 December at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) to strive to match the European Commission’s aid for trade target of €1 billion per year by 2010.
• Upgraded UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for humanitarian aid approved by the UN General Assembly on 15 December, to be managed by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
• WTO meeting in Hong Kong: Limited progress. Agreement to end agricultural export subsidies by 2013 and Duty Free Quota Free Access for 97% Least Developed Countries (LDC) products. No movement on agricultural market access and trade distorting domestic support. But new pledges on Aid for Trade, including £100 million per year from the UK by 2010. New WTO deadline of 30 April set to agree ‘modalities’ (frameworks) for non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and agriculture and for comprehensive draft schedules of commitments based on these modalities agreed by 31 July 2006.
• UN Peace Building Commission established on 20 December, with the UK elected to the Commission. Elections of all thirty-one members – including the UK were held in May. First organisational meeting of the Commission held on 23 June.
• UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) came into force on 14 December, following ratification by thirty countries. The UK sent its instrument of ratification to the UN on 30 January and ratified on 9 February 2006. To date twenty-two African countries and three G8 (UK, France and Russia) are amongst those who have ratified.

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January 2006

• Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative implemented in the IMF on 6 January with 100% debt cancellation delivered for nineteen countries. Since then a further two countries (Cameroon in May and Mauritania in June) have become eligible for IMF debt relief making twenty-one in all and up to nineteen more eligible when they complete the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) process.
• Launch at World Economic Forum of Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis: Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, President Obansanjo and Bill Gates launched plan on 27th January. Chancellor called for G8 to back the plan, which identifies actions to meet target of halving of Tuberculosis deaths by 2015, with resource needs of US$56 billion.
• African-Union (AU) Ministerial on Education in Africa: Agreed on new Decade for Education, giving priority to improved education management information systems, quality education, girls’ and women’s education, science and technology, higher education and education of vulnerable and disabled children.
• African-Union (AU) Summit: Second Decade for Education (2006 – 2015) and framework for plan of action launched. Plan of Action for Science and Technology (2006 - 2010) endorsed by Heads. First African Peer Review mechanism (APRM) report (on Ghana) finalised. Rwanda has also finalised its review. Twenty-five African countries have so far signed up to the APRM.

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February 2006

• UNICEF Global Partners Forum for Children and AIDS (co-hosted by UK) 9-10 February, London looked at particular challenges in providing greater access to prevention, treatment and care for children. The meeting identified priorities for action in six areas, including strengthening legal protection for children, developing social welfare systems to protect the most vulnerable, and making treatment for HIV and AIDS available to children. These conclusions have fed into the work of a Global Steering Committee, which is developing detailed proposals to achieve Universal Access to AIDS prevention, treatment and care, and presented to the UN high level meeting on HIV and AIDS on 31 May to 2 June.
• Ministerial Conference on Innovative Financing Mechanisms 28 February to 1 March, Paris. The UK and France agreed to move forward together on innovative financing initiatives and in a joint communiqué the French recommend their IFFIm contribution, the UK agreed to support the International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF) proposal as a co-sponsor.. Over 30 countries, including the UK, France and Germany agreed to join a Leading Group on Solidarity Levies, which will discuss the airline ticket tax and other forms of innovative financing.

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March 2006

• Reformed UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for Humanitarian Aid launched on 9 March with US$255 million from 38 donors. Overall target of US$500 million in five years, consisting of US$450 million grant facility and US$50 million loan facility. Now operational and the first disbursement of US$950,000 to protect 14,000 Internally Displaced People in Cote D’Ivoire was announced on 10 March. Forty-three donors have committed US$264 million for this year, including £40 million from the UK. The UK is currently the largest contributor, and will be providing an additional £120 million over the next 3 years. The Fund is now fully operational. It has allocated £92 million in humanitarian assistance to emergencies including the Horn of Africa, Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Niger, Ivory Coast and Burundi. The projects range from providing safe water and sanitation, delivering emergency food assistance to monitoring health and nutrition. The CERF has allocated US$5 million in Lebanon so far.
• Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Technical meeting in Moscow: many positive outcomes from the Education for All Fast Track Initiative meetings, chaired by Russia. New countries were endorsed and additional entry expected for first half of 2006, progress made on the expanded Catalytic Fund, positive commitment to education and the FTI from EC and other bilaterals. Progress reports received on Education Programme Development Fund (EPDF) strong concern remained with existing financing gap of US$500 million for the 20 FTI endorsed countries. Russia announced US$7 million to the FTI and welcomed its new role as co-chair to the FTI. Russia also underlined that in their role as G8 president, they would keep education alongside energy and health on the top of their agenda.

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April 2006

• UK announces commitment for poor countries to long-term financing to achieve the Education MDGs in Asian and African countries on 10 April in Mozambique. The UK commitment of £8.5 billon compares to a figure of less than £2 billion over the last 10 years. In addition, the UK announced immediate capacity funding, to help African and other developing countries draw up their ten year plans. UK also announces additional £100 million contribution to the Education Fast Track Initiative. (Note: new UK milestone).
• EU Development Ministers on 11 April at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxemburg the European Commission provided EU Development Ministers with a brief interim update on progress on the EU strategic partnership with Africa. Ministers agreed to €300 million medium-term funding (2008-2010) for the Africa Peace Facility and to continue the good progress towards meeting the new EU aid volume targets, agreed in May 2005. The Council welcomed the fact that the EU remains well on track to achieve the collective target agreed in 2002 of providing 0.39% Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2006.
• UN Economic Commission for Africa hosted a successful inception workshop in Ethiopia to start detailed design of the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) programme for Africa. The workshop was funded by DFID. A three year start-up phase will be implemented this year to demonstrate the value of climate services for development, with a view to scaling up in the next three years. The focus will be on food security and health in the four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
• International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings (22 to 23 April in Washington DC): the World Bank proposals for a new Clean Energy Investment Framework (CEIF) for clean energy and development were presented and discussed by Governors at the Development Committee. There was broad support for the work programme and agreement that a report to establish the CEIF will be submitted to the Annual Meetings in September 2006. The World Bank and the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) presented a report setting out various options for a pilot. The World Bank Governors formally approved the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) on 21 April (IMF debt stock cancellation under MDRI was implemented in January 2006).
• Nigeria Debt Cancellation: The largest ever debt relief deal by the Paris Club for an African country, Nigeria was concluded in April. The deal resolved 100% of Nigeria’s debts to Paris Club government creditors, with US$18 billion of debt written off. Nigeria used US$12.4 billion of its oil windfall to buy back the remaining debt. The UK cancelled debts worth US$2.85 billion as part of the deal. We have also worked hard to ensure savings will be used to reduce poverty – the deal will free up US$1 billion a year for Nigeria to spend on employing an extra 120,000 teachers, putting 3.5 million children into school, and other health, education and social investments.

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May 2006

• Cameroon completed the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative on 1 May. It received its HIPC debt stock cancellation (over £100 million worth from the UK, as well as 100% debt-cancellation of debt stock at the IMF under the MDRI. Cameroon will be eligible for 100% debt relief at the World Bank and African Development Fund when the MDRI is fully implemented (September 2006).
• AU Heads of States and Health Ministers Meeting on 3-5 May in Abuja, Nigeria on how Africa States would scale up to achieve universal access to AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria services. Member States affirmed Abuja Health financing targets of 15% of public expenditure on health and the need to strengthen national health systems.
• Human Resources for Health: Global Health Workforce Alliance launched at the WHO World Health Assembly to facilitate action in addressing human resources for health shortages. Draft work plan presented.
• Africa Partnership Forum (APF), 4 - 5 May in Mozambique. The Forum reviewed progress on HIV and AIDS, agriculture and infrastructure and identified priority next steps. It did not prove possible to construct a single Joint Action Plan that could meet the different expectations of all members across the full range of issues. Instead the Forum agreed a monitoring framework; this includes a detailed annual progress report covering issues such as governance, peace and security, growth, human development, and sustainability. The first report, for the October 2006 APF in Russia, will focus on the three topics discussed in Mozambique. This approach should achieve the original objectives of the Plan which was to provide a means to hold members to account for their commitments, and to accelerate implementation of joint initiatives. (Note: meeting date changed from April to May 2006)
• Finance For Development Conference, 21 May, Nigeria. The Nigerians convened a Financing for Development Conference along with the African Development Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa and finance ministers from a number of African countries. The outcome document Abuja Commitment to Action highlighted the importance of developing sound long-term costed plans that clearly articulate how countries aim to achieve their growth and social sector targets. It also recognised the interdependence of MDG targets in terms of scaled-up investments in sectors such as education, health, infrastructure and agriculture. The UK Chancellor Gordon Brown confirmed the announcement of £8.5 million over the next 10 years to assist countries committed to developing ten year plans to reach the MDGs for follow-up at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meetings in Singapore in September.

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June 2006

• UN High Level meeting on HIV and AIDS, 31 May- 2 June in New York. Reaffirmed commitment to the 2001 Declaration on HIV and AIDS and renewed political will to bring about the end of the pandemic. Following the Gleneagles and World Summit commitments, it agreed to scale up towards universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, care and support as well as treatment by 2010. Countries agreed to set ambitious comprehensive national plans with targets to ensure progress to achieve universal access by 2010, including interim targets for 2008. The Declaration made a commitment to provide additional resources - including to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - in recognition of UNAIDS estimate that US$20-23 billion will be required each year by 2010 to scale up AIDS responses, and pledged to ensure that no costed, credible national AIDS plan goes unfunded.
• AU Peace Support: a series of planning workshops to establish operational procedures for the Africa Standby Force (ASF) have been underway since the beginning of the year and are due to be completed by September 2006. These are being supported by a group of donors, including the UK which has provided funding and military technical advice. The framework developed through the workshops is due to be submitted to Africa defence chiefs and AU member states in the autumn for approval, after which it will guide the ASF’s progress towards achieving an operational capacity. The UK continues to conduct a variety of Peace Support Operations (PSO) training packages with African states who have pledged units to serve in the future ASF.
• Africa Investment Climate Facility (ICF), an innovative public-private partnership, was formally launched at the World Economic Forum on Africa on 1 June in Cape Town. US$100 million has been secured for the first phase, with US$30 million from the UK alongside contributions from the Netherlands, Ireland, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, the EC and the private sector. The ICF aims to make Africa a better place to do business by for example, tackling issues like inappropriate business regulations, competition, customs procedures and taxation.
• Africa Fertiliser Summit was held in Abuja on 9-12 June hosted by Nigeria and organised by NEPAD. A Declaration was made on Africa Green Revolution by Heads of State, later endorsed at the AU Summit. The focus was on raising agricultural productivity by increasing the use of fertiliser.
• Infrastructure Consortium for Africa 19 - 20 June, Ethiopia. Second meeting hosted by the African Union. This meeting brought together key organisations to mobilise additional investment in infrastructure in Africa and overcome obstacles like project preparation. It has exceeded its own target to identify and secure funding for 5 priority projects of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The meeting confirmed funding decisions on 10 regional projects worth around US$700 million, plus 13 studies worth around US$8 million and 34 country level projects worth nearly US$1.8 billion.
• Africa Progress Panel was launched on 26 June by the Prime Minister Tony Blair. This Panel was a recommendation of the Commission for Africa report. Its purpose is to encourage and measure progress against the commitments made to and by Africa at G8 Summits, notably Gleneagles, and to maintain the international political profile of Africa achieved in 2005. The Africa Progress Panel will complement existing initiatives particularly the African Partnership Forum (APF) and not duplicate work. Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, has agreed to chair the Panel, and will be joined by President Obasanjo of Nigeria, Peter Eigen, ex-Head of Transparency International, Graca Machel and Bob Geldof. Other members will be confirmed shortly. (Note: new UK milestone)
• Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative on 24 May, the UK completed the Parliamentary approval process for the extra World Bank (IDA) contributions. Also, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank approved implementation of the MDRI and the UK obtained Parliamentary approval for additional contributions for the AfDF component of the MDRI on 29 June.
• Gleneagles Dialogue Energy and Environment Ministerial Preparatory workshops held in Mexico City focusing on technology, market mechanisms and economics, and adaptation.

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July 2006

• African-Union (AU) Summit 1-2 July held in the Gambia. Kenya and Rwanda completed their African Peer Review Mechanism, reviews to be published shortly. The Summit also endorsed a Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP) that sets out guidelines and principles for agricultural research and innovation, one of four main themes of the AU/NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). The UK had worked closely with African institutions and other development partners in the development of the FAAP. The DFID White Paper launched in July agreed to double funding for agricultural research, including through CAADP.
• Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) Mid-Term Review on 4-5 July in Durban, South Africa. The meeting reviewed the Global Fund’s performance and resource needs. It highlighted progress made in a number of areas and recognised that there is still work to be done, for example in improving alignment with country priorities and planning process. Two countries were able to make additional pledges to the Global Fund, Ireland pledged an additional 10 million Euros for 2006 and 2007 and the Republic of South Africa pledged 1 million RAND for 2006. The meeting also agreed that the priority is to secure long-term commitments.
• G8 Summit in St Petersburg 15-17 July. The Prime Minister led discussions on Africa with G8 Heads and with outreach partners including China, India and Heads of International Organisations. G8 Heads agreed an Updated Statement on Africa which highlighted progress made, identified next steps and committed the G8 to reviewing progress again at the July 2007 Summit under the Germany Presidency. Issues affecting developing countries were also addressed in the discussions and papers on the main themes of the Russian Presidency - global energy security, scaling up education, including progress of the Education For All (EFA) – Fast Track Initiative and its expansion and the fight against infectious diseases, including innovative financing approaches such as advance market commitments. G8 Heads also reiterated their commitment to concluding the WTO Doha Development Round this year.
• 100 per cent multilateral debt cancellation under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) has now been implemented for nineteen countries by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). We expect the cancellation of debt stock for fifteen countries at the African Development Fund (AfDF) to be implemented shortly (debt relief will be applied retrospectively to January 2006 for the AfDF). More countries will qualify for debt cancellation under the MDRI in the future as they reach Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Completion Point. Three countries Malawi, Sao Tome & Principe and Sierra Leone are on course to complete the HIPC process by the end of the year.
• World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Development Round - It still has not been possible to agree ‘modalities’ (original deadline of end of April missed). The lack of progress on concluding the Doha Development Round has been extremely disappointing. On the 24 July, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy suspended negotiations, which had reached an impasse. The main sticking points remain: increased market access for agriculture (where the EU is key); reductions in domestic farm subsidies (where the US is key); and increased market access for industrial goods (Brazil, India and others). The lack of progress on concluding the Doha Development Round has been extremely disappointing. Since the suspension of the Round, all the major parties – including the UK - have reiterated their commitment to a successful resolution and it is vital they now work towards this.
• International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) Bonds are now expected to be launched in November. The exact timing of the bond launch will be determined by optimum market conditions.
• International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF or UNITAID) established by a core group of founding countries: France, Norway, Chile, Brazil and UK to negotiate the new organisation in time for its launch in September at the UN General Assembly where initial contributions will be pledged, by a range of financing including innovative mechanisms. Following an intensive series of meetings, agreement was reached by early September. UNITAID will contribute complementary niche financing for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through drugs provision and negotiating bulk purchases. It will be housed initially in the WHO in Geneva.
• United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) working group on Education For All (EFA) was held on 19 - 21 July, in Paris. It addressed issues of increased resource mobilisation in terms of a major campaign on abolition of user fees, developments on girls’ education, and support to fragile or post conflict states. The Fast Track Initiative (FTI) Steering Committee met at the same venue at which both a new Governance paper and a proposal for expanding and extending the FTI Catalytic Fund were tabled. Canada’s announcement at St Petersburg of CAN$20 million contribution to the Catalytic Fund and CAN$4 million to the Education Programme Development Fund was confirmed.

Last updated: 27 November 2007

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