As consultations on Agenda 2063 – Africa’s vision and blueprint for economic, human and social development – are reaching a crucial point, the year 2015 will prove key as continental actors are expected to define how to implement the vision.

“Consultations won’t be over, but dealt with, and we will need to move into the concrete with the publishing of the vision and the definition of the first phase of its implementation: the 10-year economic plan,” said Carlos Lopes, the Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) Executive Secretary in his opening remarks at the African Union (AU)-Regional Economic Communities-United Nations Commission for Africa-African Development Bank Coordination Meeting of the Committee of Ministers to follow up on the Implementation of the Bahir Dar Ministerial Retreat, held on Friday in Sandton, South Africa.

M. Lopes said that the 10-year plan needed to be credible, realistic and technically sound to allow African countries to align their respective development plans to Agenda 2063. “It is a challenge we have to introduce in our planning the evolution of the post-2015 discussions, among them the sustainable development goals, which will replace the Millennium Development Goals. However, we may take advantage of the post-2015 African Common Position, which is well articulated.”

AU Commission Chairperson and chair of the Ministerial Committee, Dr. Nlozasana Dlamini-Zuma said that it was about time that Africa had the shared responsibility to work at the success of Agenda 2063. “Part of the problem in the past is that we have had good documents, but which were not implemented and we don’t want agenda 2063 to share the same fate. It is about how we can create a continent with shared prosperity.”

Dr. Dlamini-Zuma said that some of the key drivers for better economic integration would be free movement of people and goods as well as solidarity among African countries and that these should be included in the 10-year plan. “We need to focus on the first 10 years and set benchmarks and targets to meet. Coordination and good relationship with the RECs will be important in helping realize the vision.”

Solomon Asamoah, VP Infrastructure, Trade and Regional Integration at the AfDB said that Africa has made great strides in reaching and sustaining good economic growth but that challenges remained. “The ebola outbreak is one such challenge, which poses a serious threat to human and economic development. This epidemic goes beyond loss of lives. We have to support the quick recovery of the economies affected by the crisis,” he added.

M. Asamoah also said that collaboration among African actors was needed more than ever if Africa wanted to realize its programs in infrastructure, intra African trade, transport and other important fields. “We need to pull efforts and resources together.”