Background

The Africa Progress Panel consists of a group of distinguished individuals chaired by Kofi Annan who generously lend their time to track and encourage progress in Africa, and to underscore shared responsibility between African leaders and their international partners for sustaining it.

Panel members are Michel Camdessus, Peter Eigen, Bob Geldof, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Graça Machel, Linah Mohohlo, Robert Rubin, Tidjane Thiam and Muhammad Yunus. A Geneva-based Secretariat supports the Panel in three main areas: research and policy; advocacy and communication; and preparation of APP core products, including the annual Africa Progress Report; a fortnightly news bulletin; and policy briefs on timely issues.

What does the Panel want to achieve?

• Centrality of African issues at G20, G8, EU and other meetings.
• Policy impact and change following recommendations in the Africa Progress Report and policy briefs.
• Awareness of the APP among G8/G20, OECD and African Heads of State, multi- and bilateral organizations, policy institutes
• Emergence of more robust mutual accountability frameworks between Africa and its partners, both public and private sector.

How is it doing it?

The Panel continually assesses opportunities and threats to Africa’s development, including how far commitments to and from Africa are being met. They use their judgment and experience to highlight pressing concerns, inspire honest debate amongst leaders and civil society, help mobilise resources and prompt effective action.

The Panel with support from the Secretariat draws on the expertise of institutions working on African issues to present an assessment of progress through the Africa Progress Report. It also produces a fortnightly bulletin and a series of policy briefs with recommendations on issues critical to the continent’s future. These include the response to the global financial crisis; climate change; options for supporting small holder farmers; the role of the business sector in adding social and environmental value; and reforming the multilateral system.

The Africa Progress Panel's work plan which includes the criteria used to asses the impact of the Panel and Secretariat's work is available here.

The Panel's original mandate to review and monitor commitments to Africa is planned to expire in 2010 in accordance with the pledges made at the Gleneagles G8 Summit. In February 2010, the Panel renewed its commitment to continue its work until 2015 provided sufficient resources are mobilized.

The APP’s work is now aimed continuously to contribute to shape policy priorities and high level decisions.

This includes:

• Tracking progress by highlighting good practices and positive change in Africa that have led to sustained development across the region.
• Monitoring the role of Africa’s trading, donor and investment partners in supporting the continent`s progress.
• Supporting African initiatives driving social, economic and/or political progress whether it is brought about by African leaders, institutions or international partners.
• Identifying sources and drivers of equitable growth such as investment in infrastructure, energy and entrepreneurship
• Encouraging action and partnerships to address issues that determine the quality of growth and human development, such as climate change, maternal health,

More concretely, the APP:

• Supports the activities of the Chair and Panel members in their interactions with African, G8, G20 and other leaders to encourage action on priority issues
• Publishes policy briefs and policy recommendations on current topics that have so far received insufficient attention or are lacking a clear champion.
• Draws media attention to crucial issues especially in the run-up to important events such as G8 and G20 meetings
• Raises the profile of African/international partners and strengthens partnerships and synergies between key actors - political leaders, institutions, experts, civil society, and private sector.
• Participates in various political fora and high-level regional and international meetings.
• Produces a fortnightly Bulletin that provides a snapshot of Africa’s main development news and an update of the latest development among Africa’s partners, the G8/G20 and multilateral and UN organizations.

Donors and Funding

The APP's core funding comes from two sources: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK's Department for International Development (DfID). Core funds support the Panel members’ outreach and advocacy activities, and the work of the Secretariat, including the production of policy briefs and its information and communication activities. All financial statements are audited externally. The panel members do not receive any sort of salary for sitting on the APP.

The Secretariat also seeks project funding for specific activities. In 2009, the Government of Germany provided support to the APP's work on climate change. Project funds are being sought for APP activities relating to maternal health and to the role of business in adding social and environmental value in Africa. Information concerning new donors and what projects they are financing will be posted in this section as they materialise.

Environmental Policy

The nature of the APP's work requires extensive travel by Panel members and Secretariat staff, but where possible this is avoided by the use of video-conferencing facilities. Where possible, the Secretariat favours train rather than road or air travel.

The APP’s green office policy also includes the offsetting the carbon emissions from travel, using recycled or envirnmentally friendly paper, minimizing printing, energy-efficient lighting and cooling in our offices, and green procurement when possible.