Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to be in your midst today in this Thirty-Second Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Let me first convey warm greetings and appreciation of the African Union Commission for the close and constructive collaboration with IFAD and other strategic partners.

In this connection, I would like to pay glowing tribute to Mr. Lennart Båge, outgoing President of IFAD for his dedication and support to the promotion of African agricultural production, productivity and food security as well as rural development and poverty reduction.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Many African Member States who spoke before me ably articulated the nature and scope of this support. I also congratulate the incoming President Mr. Kanayo F. Nwanze upon his deserved election by the Governing Council which clearly attests to his proven expertise, experience and commitment.

The AU Commission pledges full support and cooperation in furtherance of our mutual areas of collaboration with IFAD. The AU Commission is in particular appreciative of the support of IFAD towards the development of the AU Pan African Land Policy Framework and the AU Guidelines for the establishment of the African Farmers Forum (AFAFO).

Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The AUC is pleased with the collaboration that has intensified in recent times with IFAD and other partners, in addressing short and medium term challenges relating to agriculture and food security, particularly the high food prices and climate change. The AUC looks forward to enhanced relationship extending to long-term policies, programmes and projects especially in the framework of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) which the AU Summit adopted in 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique.

We believe that the real solution resides in the reinvigoration of the implementation of CAADP, an African defined agenda that envisages martialing the support of governments, civil society, the private sector and development partners in implementing the various activities under the four pillars of CAADP, namely:

• Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems.
• Improving rural infrastructure and trade related capacities for market access.
• Increasing food supply, reducing hunger, and improving risk management and crisis response; and
• Improving agriculture research, technology dissemination and adoption.

Honourable Ministers,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me also seize this opportunity to inform you that the just-concluded AU Summit held on 1-4 February 2009 in Addis Ababa decided that the next AU Summit scheduled for Antananarivo, Madagascar in July 2009 will have its theme as Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security. As part of preparations, the Summit will be preceded by a  Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture in April and the CAADP Partnership Platform in March in Pretoria, South Africa. These are processes we are engaging in together with our partners, to revive African agriculture and to keep agriculture and food security high on the global agenda.

The AU Commission looks forward to the continued support of our international partners to the CAADP agenda especially now that AU Member States with the support of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are accelerating its implementation through the development of compacts that encapsulate priority programmes and areas of intervention that will bring about the desired agricultural growth.

In conclusion Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me reiterate that the AU stands ready and willing to continue to give the necessary political support and leadership required for the implementation of our joint programmes as we strive towards economic integration. I wish you all successful deliberations.

I thank you for your attention.