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| Common African Position | |
|---|---|
| Name | Common African Position |
| Type | Continental policy framework |
| Location | Africa |
Common African Position The Common African Position is a continental framework adopted by African states to coordinate responses to global negotiations, notably climate change and development finance. It aggregates stances from African Union member states, regional economic communities, and pan-African institutions to present unified demands in multilateral fora such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The Position intersects with agendas of the African Union Commission, the New Partnership for Africa's Development, and various United Nations agencies.
The Position traces roots to diplomatic initiatives launched after the end of the Cold War, including negotiations in Lome Convention, the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, and transitions culminating in the African Union. Early precursors include resolutions from the United Nations General Assembly and consensus-building at summits like the Monrovia Conference and the Sirte Declaration. Influential convening instruments included efforts by the African Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Historical shocks such as the Oil Crisis of 1973, the Brundtland Commission reports, and the Kyoto Protocol negotiations shaped early African collective bargaining positions. Key diplomatic figures and negotiators from countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Kenya played prominent roles.
The framework rests on principles of equity as articulated in documents like the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, differentiated responsibilities emphasized in the Paris Agreement discussions, and solidarity echoed in the Pan-Africanism movement. Objectives include securing concessional finance from institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Green Climate Fund; obtaining technology transfer through mechanisms resembling those of the World Intellectual Property Organization dialogues; and ensuring fair terms in negotiations involving the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization. The Position also links to commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals and coordinates with initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area and programs of the United Nations Development Programme.
Development occurred through a sequence of ministerial meetings, summit declarations, and technical working groups convened by the African Union Commission and regional blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States, Southern African Development Community, East African Community, and Economic Community of Central African States. Drafting drew on reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, policy inputs from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, and legal insights from bodies including the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights. Adoption was formalized at AU summits, endorsed by national cabinets and parliaments including those of Ghana, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and publicized via platforms like the African Union Summit and side events at Conference of the Parties meetings.
Primary stakeholders include heads of state across the African Union, ministers from foreign affairs, environment, and finance ministries, and regional economic communities such as ECOWAS and SADC. Supporting institutions include the African Development Bank, African Capacity Building Foundation, and the New Partnership for Africa's Development secretariat. International partners engaged in consultations have included delegations from the European Union, agencies like the United Nations Environment Programme, philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and research centers such as the International Institute for Environment and Development and the Overseas Development Institute. Non-state actors—trade unions, women's organizations like African Women's Development and Communication Network, and civil society platforms present at forums like the African Climate Summit—also influenced content.
The Position articulates provisions on climate finance, adaptation funds, mitigation targets, loss and damage mechanisms, and technology transfer consistent with instruments like the Paris Agreement and proposals debated within the UNFCCC process. It addresses debt relief proposals reminiscent of initiatives by the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and coordination with the G20 via debt service suspension mechanisms. Trade-related sections reference negotiation stances at the World Trade Organization and principles from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Health and pandemic preparedness components draw from frameworks used by the World Health Organization and the Global Fund. Agricultural and food security measures echo programmes by the Food and Agriculture Organization and regional strategies similar to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.
Implementation relies on monitoring by AU organs, reporting to summits, and collaboration with partners such as the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank Group, and the Green Climate Fund. Data and indicators link to metrics maintained by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the World Meteorological Organization, and statistical systems coordinated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Capacity building is delivered through institutions like the African Capacity Building Foundation and university networks including University of Cape Town, Makerere University, and Cairo University. Periodic reviews occur alongside events such as the UN Climate Change Conference, AU Summit, and global reviews like the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
Critics from think tanks such as the Chatham House, Brookings Institution, and Council on Foreign Relations have argued the Position sometimes lacks specificity and enforcement mechanisms, echoing debates seen in negotiations around the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. Some member states, including debates within delegations from Senegal and Uganda, have contested resource allocation and sovereign prerogatives, mirroring long-standing tensions seen in postcolonial negotiations and in treaty ratification disputes before institutions like the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights. Questions persist about representation of small island states, landlocked countries, and marginalized communities represented by groups such as African Youth Initiative on Climate Change and indigenous organizations, leading to calls for reform at forums like the Cotonou Agreement review and AU procedural reforms.