Reflecting on Progress and Challenges in Africa

NEW YORK --- At a recent consultation on UNFPA’s work in Africa, discussion focused less on the continent’s problems and more on its successes. Bunmi Makinwa, UNFPA’s Africa Regional Director, pointed to the region’s fast growth rates as a harbinger of good things to come. The International Monetary Fund’s recent World Economic Outlook report notes that Africa is the second fastest growing region behind Asia. The continent enjoyed rapid growth last year, and growth is expected to continue at rates of 5 to 8 per cent over the next decade.

“This is very good news for a continent that rarely gets good news,” remarked Mr. Makinwa.

The meeting, which was attended by high level representatives from fourteen African and other Permanent Missions and several members of the UNFPA Executive Board, offered an opportunity to reflect on UNFPA’s achievements to date, share priorities for the future and get input from African leaders on the organization’s programmes in the region.

Mr. Makinwa began the meeting with a review of current work supporting maternal, sexual and reproductive health, development, and census. He highlighted the joint UN-African Union Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) and ongoing programs to improve fistula treatment, reduce gender-based violence and expand HIV prevention and treatment services across the continent, emphasizing UNFPA’s focus on serving women and young people.

While not diminishing the progress achieved to date, participants repeatedly called attention to the need for increased integration in development programmes and noted that UNFPA can play a role in promoting collaboration between different government ministries. For example, Zambian Ambassador Lazarous Kapambwe noted that access to education is too often narrowly defined by whether or not government policies support free education or whether classrooms have space. This definition ignores other realities that may prevent a child from accessing education – such as a lack of sanitary supplies for girls, early pregnancies or social stigma.

“We need increased integration across different ministries – not just education, but also the ministries of youth, women and finance – so we have a more comprehensive definition of access,” Mr. Kapambwe said. The theme of need for greater integration was echoed by several representatives of African countries.

Participants also raised concerns about how potential reductions in Official Development Assistance (ODA) in upcoming years may affect UNFPA’s programming in Africa. The discussion pointed to the need for increased contributions from African governments to make up for shortfalls, noting that reduced ODA would mean that UNFPA and partner governments will have to do more with less.

The meeting ended on an uplifting note: in spite of challenges, countries across Africa are undergoing transformation. African youth, who are witnessing the changes sweeping across the Middle East, can continue to drive economic growth and demand more accountable and democratic governance.

“Our countries are not what they used to be. Things have changed,” Mr. Makinwa said. “People’s expectations of their governments are more stringent than they were in the past.”