Photo: Abokoe Sibanda

Civil society and organisations will contribute to setting the agenda.

Addis Ababa — The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that Africa is lagging behind to achieve in the scheduled period would continue to be development agenda in the continent after 2015, the Africa Union Commission (AUC) said.

AUC Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha told a press conference held at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) headquarters Thursday, though the continent has made progress in the effort to achieve most of the MDGs, it is lagging behind regarding those especially related to health care, nutrition, sanitation and water. The continent needs to accelerate its effort in a coordinated manner to make a better progress in the remaining three years, he said.

Mwencha said peace and security, good governance and protecting human rights should go hand in hand with development if the continent has to attain better outcomes in its future. In addition to producing and the provision of resources, Africa should take the fore front in the preparation and processing tasks, he added. "The aid that the continent gets should be utilized in a coordinated manner among stakeholders; and there should be a better communication strategy between them about the reality on the ground."

UN Deputy Secretary Jan Eliasson on his part said Africa should exert extra effort to the provision of water and sanitation services. As there has not been low progress mainly in improving maternal health in the continent, there should be due emphasis to it both in the remaining three years and post- MDG years. "Unfortunately, poverty eradication would continue to be one of the major goals in post- 2012 Africa. The rule of law and good governance should be given emphasis side by side with development," he noted.

Eliasson said that considerable progress has been made in expanding primary education throughout the continent, though there are gaps in making the same pace in secondary and tertiary education and job creation. Rwanda and Ethiopia have made a relatively better progress in many of the MDGs the latter making exemplary stride in the area of water and sanitation, he said.