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ACBF Celebrates 30 years of Excellence

Harare
Zimbabwe
15 Oct, 2021

The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the African Union’s specialized agency for capacity development, is 30 years old. Founded in February 1991 by African governments and their international partners to spearhead and robustly coordinate capacity development on the continent, ACBF has implemented programs worth about US$1 billion across Africa.

In three decades, the Foundation has gathered the requisite experience that makes it the go-to institution for expert knowledge and human resources to advise and support African countries, regional economic communities (RECs), and institutions on the decisive steps to take to develop the practical skills urgently required for the continent’s economic transformation.

To celebrate the 30 years of excellence and solid work, ACBF is hosting a two-day 30th anniversary celebration on October 20-21. The celebrations will be held virtually because of Covid-19 protocols and restrictions.

On the opening day, 20 October, the Foundation will showcase its cutting-edge work in closing up capacity gaps in Africa and effectively delivering on continental development priorities such as the AU’s Agenda 2063.

On the second day, 21 October, the Foundation will hold a virtual knowledge seminar to discuss “Post-COVID-19 recovery in Africa: challenges, lessons, and capacity development priorities”.

It is generally acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic has induced shock and slowed down global economic activity. By August this year, a total of 212,560,109 cases had been confirmed worldwide, with 4,443,976 fatalities, making it the deadliest pandemic in history.

Africa has equally been affected, with 7,548,957 confirmed cases and 189,307 fatalities by August 2021. The African economy has also not been spared, with GDP contracting by 2.1 percent in 2020, but projected to grow at 3.4 percent in 2021.

African countries have understood that they must take crucial measures, especially on issues such as vaccines, access to which will have decisive economic implications on their post-COVID-19 recovery. The continent has to seize the opportunity offered by the post COVID-19 recovery to ensure a sustainable socio-economic transformation.

It is against this background that ACBF is holding the virtual knowledge seminar with the main objective of sharing ideas and experiences while proposing concrete actions on how to better tackle some of the key capacity development challenges facing African countries in the post-COVID-19 recovery effort.

For further information, contact
Tsitsi Chakonza
Communication Consultant
T.Chakonza@acbf-pact.org

Thomas Kwesi Quartey

ACBF has been granted the status of a specialized agency because of the potential to transform Africa through capacity development.


H.E. Thomas Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson, AU Commission
Erastus Mwencha

The recognition of ACBF as the African Union’s Specialized Agency for Capacity Development launches the beginning of a new era for capacity building by ACBF, which will require an appropriate level of political commitment and financial support from all stakeholders.


H.E. Erastus Mwencha, Chair, ACBF Executive Board
Lamin Momodou

The remarkable achievements ACBF has registered over the past 26 years is not by accident in our opinion. They have come through hard work, dedication, commitment, purposeful leadership, support from the member countries as well as productive partnership building.


Mr. Lamin Momodou MANNEH, Director, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa
Goodall Gondwe

Africa needs ACBF as much, probably more now, than at the time it was created in 1991.


Hon. Goodall Gondwe, former Chair of the ACBF Board of Governors and Minister of Finance – Malawi
Ken Ofori Atta

Ghana’s partnership with ACBF is a tremendous blessing for us and therefore the opportunity for Ghana to host the 26th ACBF Board of Governors Meeting is something that we treasure.


Hon Ken Ofori Atta, Chair of the ACBF Board of Governors and Minister of Finance - Ghana
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