Project description

Title: Enhancing the management capacity of the AU Commission (Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: African Union, Headquarters Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Lead executing agency: Commission of the African Union (AUC), Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson
Overall term: 2003 to 2013

Context

The transformation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU) in 2002 presented the AU Commission (AUC) – its executive secretariat – with great challenges. The new organisation must be capable of driving forward the ambitious agenda of African integration. A pivotal role in this is played by the Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson (DCP) of the AUC. The DCP oversees capacity building and the coordination of internal strategy processes, and is also responsible for management and domestic accountability, and for the reform of human resources throughout the AU system. Furthermore, the DCP has to manage the complex process of integrating the former NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development), into the African Union’s institutional structures in the form of the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA).

Objective

The strategic and operational efficiency of the AUC shows medium and long-term improvements, in line with its Strategic Plan 2009-2012. The DCP disposes over a wider range of instruments for medium-term strategic and policy planning and for coordinating reform processes to strengthen its management and accountability systems.

Approach

The programme supports capacity development in the DCP Bureau to promote a range of institutional reform processes which will allow the AUC to create more efficient and effective working procedures. The measures include:

• a medium-term expenditure framework (including transformation of the budget into a results-based programme budget and changes to the budget calendar)
• impact-oriented monitoring and evaluation for the implementation of the AU’s strategic plans
• change management
• results-based performance assessment of AUC staff and the consequent restructuring of the HR directorate
• effective financial controlling and an internal auditing system
• accountability and reporting to the AU Assembly based on reliable statistical data and impact chains.

These improvements should also enhance the cooperation between the AU and the regional economic communities, the national governments of AU member countries, international organisations and civil society in Africa.

Results achieved so far

• A new system has been developed for managing projects and the budget within the AUC, which will lower the AUC’s transaction costs.
• Substantial improvements have been achieved in the strategic systems for planning, budgeting and policy development. These have led to the AU’s first programme-based budget, as well as the completion of a road map for enhanced resource mobilisation and use.
• The Joint Financing Agreement 2008-2010 – involving five partners, and the first of its kind – enabled this system to be implemented on a wider and more sustainable basis. It was followed by the similar Joint Programme Agreement 2011-2012, which allows greater predictability and a more even flow of finances to the AUC.
• The capacity of the AUC to process financial contributions from development partners has been improved.

Further information

• Website of the African Union
  www.africa-union.org