AFRICA – The African Union Commission (AUC) will benefit from a US$11.48mn grant from the African Development Fund.

The grant will help the AUC to strengthen its governance as well as contribute to the Institutional Capacity Building for the African Union Project which is designed to improve the AUC’s capacity to drive Agenda 2063.

Agenda 2063 is the African Union’s vision for an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

Approval for the grant, from the Fund’s regional public goods window, came a few days ahead of the 35th ordinary session of the African Union Assembly, which closed on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The funds will cover three main components, institutional strengthening, policy planning, coordination, corporate service delivery, and project management.

In addition, it contains important environmental and social safeguards and gender-sensitive considerations.

In 2017, the AUC launched a comprehensive institutional reform process to make the institution more nimble, efficient, and financially self-sufficient.

The project will continue those reforms through upgrading its systems, as well as improving planning, coordination, and service delivery capacities.

A portion of the funds will be allocated to the AUC’s disaster risk reduction practices and climate change adaptation mechanisms.

AUC supports for women will include developing the commission’s gender and youth mainstreaming guidelines and related activities over and above the support towards the AU’s institutional reform.

The AfDB has been a long-term partner to the African Union’s development agenda, supporting programs such as its Development Agency-NEPAD program for infrastructure development in Africa.

It also supports the African Continental Free Trade Area secretariat, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Climate for Development in Africa Program.

The total cost of the project is US$12.6 million, including an in-kind counterpart contribution from the African Union.

The success of the project is expected to encourage similar contributions from other development institutions.

Liked this article? Subscribe to DealStreet Africa News, our regular email newsletter with the latest news, deals, and insights from Africa’s business, economy, and more. SUBSCRIBE