Tanzania president H.E Jakaya  Kikwete  arriving  at  BOLE INTERNATIONAL  AIRPORT for  the 20th AU  Summit

Africa All Party Parliamentary Group

and the

Institute of Development Studies

invite you to a panel discussion on


Restoring human security to conflict affected states: Rethinking what works

Tuesday 29 January 2013, 15.30 – 17.00, Committee Room 14, House of Commons


Human security is essential to the achievement of development goals. Yet its restoration has proved elusive in too many conflict-affected states in Africa. Given the current situation in Mali, this jointly convened meeting by the Africa All Party Parliamentary Group (Africa APPG) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) will provide a timely opportunity to re-examine how successful current approaches to improving systems of governance, peacekeeping operations and security sector reform have been in helping to restoring stability and prosperity to conflict affected states in Africa.
Drawing on fresh insights from a recent report from the APPG Africa, Security and Africa: An Update and new IDS research undertaken in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Somalia, our expert panel will lead the discussion on what more needs to be done at the local, national, regional and international level to improve the wellbeing of people living in African countries affected by violent conflict.

Chair: Hugh Bayley MP, Chair, Africa APPG

Speakers: Professor David Leonard, Visiting Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
Professor Ferdinand Mugumo Mushi, Catholic University of Kinshasha
Dr Knox Chitiyo, Associate Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House


To RSVP: please register online at http://www.royalafricansociety.org/event/appg-event-restoring-human-security-conflict-affected-states-rethinking-what-works

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PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE HIGH LEVEL TASKFORCE FOR WOMEN, GIRLS, GENDER EQUALITY AND HIV

 

Under the auspices of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA)

 

Within the framework of the 20^th AU Summit, the High Level Taskforce for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV, under the auspices of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), will on Monday, 28^th January 2013 at 14h00, hold a Press Conference at Briefing Room (1) One of the new AU Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 

The Press Conference will comprise the following Panelists:

·        Prof. Sheila Tlou, UNAIDS Regional Director, Eastern and Southern African Regional Office;

·        Dr. Fatma Mrisho, Chairperson, High Level Taskforce;

·        Hon. Senator Thandi Shongwe, Member, High Level Taskforce;

 

During the Press Conference, the High Level Taskforce will:

·        Call on First Ladies to commit to ensuring that “Africa becomes a child-marriage-free-zone.”

·        Highlight that the work is still far from over, and commend African First Ladies for their contribution to the fight against HIV, and more importantly the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.

 

Present at the AU Summit and the OAFLA meetings are distinguished First Ladies from Benin, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Zambia.

 

 

 Address by H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma

Chairperson of the African Union Commission

on the occasion of the

28^th Meeting of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government

Orientation Committee

 Addis Ababa, 26 January 2013

His Excellency Boni Yayi, President of the Republic of Benin and Chairperson of the African Union

His Excellency Hailemarium Deselegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee

Excellencies, Members of the NEPAD Heads of State and

Orientation Committee

Commissioners of the African Union

Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency

Representatives of Regional and International Organisations

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is indeed my singular honour and privilege for me to make a statement at this official opening of the 28^th Meeting of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) in my new capacity as Chairperson of the African Union Commission.  May I take this opportunity to welcome you all to the headquarters of the AU where the Commission spends a lot of hours, and to wish you a very happy new year.

Of course, we cannot sit in this meeting and not think of the late Prime Minister Zenawi, and his dynamic leadership and commitment to NEPAD.  May his soul rest in internal peace.

My special thanks also go to the members of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee for the constant support given to the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Agency.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I commend the efforts that have been made and continue to be made by the Agency and the Commission to improve the harmonisation of their work, particularly through the elaboration of policies and strategies and work programmes, with a view to avoiding duplication of efforts.

It is also my pleasure to report that the implementation of the approved organisational structure for the NPCA is proceeding smoothly based on AU rules, regulations and practices.

In the last six months, synergy between the NEPAD Agency and the Commission was strengthened in the area of agriculture, food security and nutrition and infrastructure. The Agency, together with the Commission, established, within the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), in the fisheries sub-sector, a Joint Working Group with a view to elaborating an Integrated Pan-African Strategy. The Strategy will guide reforms in the sub-sector at the national and the regional levels.

In the area of infrastructure, the Agency worked closely with the Commission to determine the modalities for the operationalization of the Institutional Architecture for Infrastructure Development in Africa and the capacity building needs of the Regional Economic Communities and continental institutions, with a view to facilitating the implementation of the priorities of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), as well as clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders.

It will be recalled that the 18th Assembly of Heads of State and Government in January 2012 adopted a Declaration Assembly on the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). In adopting the PIDA, AU Heads of State and Government committed, among others, to “undertake to contribute financially to the Special Fund of the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility…” which is the main Project Preparation Facility to help develop the PIDA projects. Partners also contribute to the fund.

Regarding the mobilization of finance to prepare and implement the PIDA Priority Action Plan (PAP) projects, the expected capital costs of delivering the selected 51 projects and programmes amounts to about $68 billion. Of that amount, approximately US$ 200 million is required over the next four years. This is equivalent to US$ 50 million/year, assuming that 100% of this amount will be derived from African domestic resources. A Strategy, prepared by the key PIDA Stakeholders (AUC, AfDB and NPCA), was presented at the 27^th Session of the NEPAD HSGOC but its implementation of course may take time.

We would also like to say we are pleased that the champions of PIDA are dedicating a substantial amount of time and money to these projects. We encourage more countries to do the same.

Within the context of knowledge management and the development of policies and strategies, the NEPAD Agency and the Commission intensified their work towards achieving higher levels of coordination, consistency and synergy in the planning, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of regional programmes.

The NEPAD Agency is also involved in the development of the AUC Strategic Plan for 2014-2017, on the basis upon which the Agency will also develop its own. Further, the Agency is working closely with the Commission on the development of the AU-wide Strategic Framework, where other African institutions are also involved.

Despite NEPAD’s accomplishments to date, a lot still needs to be done in order for the ordinary man and woman across the continent to feel the impact of NEPAD’s deliverables in a consistent and concrete manner. This requires, among other things, addressing the challenges facing the NEPAD Agency. These challenges include inadequate financial resources to implement in a timely manner continental and regional projects and inadequate human capital to facilitate the implementation of programs and projects.

While appreciating the support from the development partners, we will need to do more about mobilizing domestic resources for NEPAD. We would also like to request that the organizational structure approved that has been approved be implemented. However, in order for us to implement, we need more money. For, the longer we delay in doing this, the less effective the  Agency will be.  We therefore humbly request that we be supported in this regard.  We also want the NPCA to work with us to work with us in the OAU 50^th anniversary in May 2013. This will enable the NEPAD Agency to showcase its achievements since its establishment, as part and parcel of the OAU/AU’s accomplishments.

1.    In conclusion, I wish to express my gratitude to the Deputy Chairperson and all the Commissioners of the African Union Commission for their contribution to NEPAD.

2.    Finally, I wish to commend Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, the Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency for his leadership as well as the results he and his team have achieved so far.

I thank you for your kind attention.  

APRM  MEETING 

What is the African Peer Review Mechanism?
NEPAD believes that it is critical that African development and regional co-operation programmes take place in the context of good economic and political governance.

 The African Peer Review Mechanism is a mutually agreed programme, voluntarily adopted by the member states of the African Union, to promote and re-enforce high standards of governance. The peer review mechanism is a self-monitoring mechanism.

APRM's mandate is to ensure that the policies and practices of participating countries conform to the agreed values in the following four focus areas: democracy and political governance, economic governance, corporate governance and socio-economic development.
As part of the APRM there are periodic reviews of the participating countries to assess progress being made towards achieving the mutually agreed goals.

 t is important to note that there is no conditionality attached to the peer review mechanism.

How does the APRM work?
Structurally the peer review mechanism is constituted as such:
- The Committee of Participating Heads of State and Government (APR Forum) is the highest decision making authority in the APRM;
- The Panel of Eminent Persons (APR Panel) oversees the review process to ensure integrity, considers reports and makes recommendations to the APR Forum;
- The APRM Secretariat provides secretarial, technical, coordinating and administrative support for the APRM; and
- The Country Review Mission Team (CRM Team) visits member states to review progress and produce an APRM Report on the country.

 Tanzania  Foreign  minister Hon Benard  Membe

 Hon Bamanga tukur is a prominent Nigerian businessman and politician

 Hon Maitre Demba Traore-Mali  Minister  of  the  diaspora  and  Africa  intergration

  Hon Maitre Demba Traore-Mali  Minister  of  the  diaspora  and  Africa integration

  Hon Maitre Demba Traore-Mali  Minister  of  the  diaspora  and  Africa  integration

The APRM process looks at four focus areas:
1. Democracy and good political governance

This area looks at ensuring that member state constitutions reflect the democratic ethos, provide accountable governance and that political representation is promoted, allowing all citizens to participate in the political process in a free and fair political environment.

2. Economic governance and management

Good economic governance including transparency in financial management is an essential pre-requisite for promoting economic growth and reducing poverty.

3. Corporate governance

This area focuses on promoting ethical principles, values and practices that are in line with broader social and economic goals to benefit all citizens. It works to promote a sound framework for good corporate governance.

4. Socio-economic Development

Poverty can only be effectively tackled through the promotion of democracy, good governance, peace and security as well as the development of human and physical resources.

Press release Wednesday 23rd January 2013 For immediate use Stephen Twigg’s speech to Policy Exchange - A Blueprint for One Nation Education: Vocational Education - CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY - Stephen Twigg MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said today at Policy Exchange: I am delighted to have the opportunity this morning to set out my thinking on the future of vocational education in this country. I want to thank David and Policy Exchange for providing me with this platform and for the important contribution that you are making to this debate. The report that you published earlier this week reveals both the challenges and opportunities we face in delivering a vocational education system that will strengthen our country’s standing in the world. We can only achieve lasting and sustainable reform if there is a coalition of support across politics, business and of course amongst parents, teachers and students themselves. Policy Exchange is playing an important role in building a coalition that is both in the best interests of young people and future economic growth. It is great to see that Labour’s plans to improve the status and quality of practical and technical skills in this country, which Ed Miliband announced last September, are now gaining cross-party support. Our plans for a gold standard Technical Baccalaureate qualification are supported not just by this leading right of centre think tank, but also by the Conservative former Education Secretary Lord Baker, and albeit belatedly, by the Minister for Skills. It’s this kind of consensus that can create long term education reform. It’s the kind of consensus that is totally lacking in Michael Gove’s plans to introduce EBacc Certificates. Or I should say there is a consensus, just not in favour. It spans the CBI, the designer of the iPhone, the head of the Tate gallery, the leading private schools, the head of Ofqual and many teachers and their associations. It’s not often they can all agree. Their opposition to EBacc Certificates reflects Labour’s concerns – that the plans are narrow, risk creating a two tier system and are not fit for the 21st Century. As the former Education Secretary Lord Baker put it “The EBacc is exactly the same to the exam I sat in 1951 when I was 16, the School Certificate. And that was changed, even in 1951, because it simply wasn’t broad enough for a large number of children. And only seven per cent of young people went on to post-16 education, I was part of a privileged elite. And the EBacc is a throwback to that.” Instead of seeking to recreate the past, the central question we need to address is: how do we reform our education system so that it equips young people with the skills, knowledge, resilience and character that they need to play their part both as active citizens and as future business leaders and entrepreneurs? Tim Oates, who has been advising the Government on the national curriculum, has talked to me about Britain’s strength in skills, innovation and creativity. We need to ensure we play to our strengths, rather than undermine them. For me, strengthening the skills of young people in Britain is a great patriotic cause. It should be seen as part of our economic mission – at the heart of our drive to maintain our competitive edge in the world. The problem, as Tim has noted, is that our vocational education system was designed in this country after the Second World War only to be exported to Germany, where today, it continues to prosper. Today, Britain risks losing the global race on skills. We need to be as strong as Germany and Switzerland on vocational education, and as competitive as Singapore and Japan on Maths. Our future national competitiveness is at stake. Rab Butler’s 1944 Education Act sought to make progress. The introduction of technical schools – known as County Colleges was set to offer 15 to 18 year olds technical education to supplement their apprenticeships. But this ambition was never realised. Ever since we packaged up and sent off our post-war blueprint for technical and practical education, successive governments have failed to deliver the step change that our education system and economy need. While Britain was once the workshop of the world, we have seen a de-industrial revolution in recent decades. When Margaret Thatcher came to power, manufacturing accounted for almost 30 per cent of Britain’s national income and employed 6.8 million people. By 2010, it was down to just over 11 per cent of the economy, with a workforce of only 2.5 million. Since the 1980s, there has been a focus on school standards and expanding Higher Education. However, successive Governments have not done enough to help the 50% of young people who don’t go to university. We would now focus our reformist zeal on the skills agenda – driving up the standards of vocational and technical courses by getting employers to accredit them. That is why Labour has placed vocational education front and centre in our plans for One Nation Education. My fear is that without a clear drive and focus on raising the standards of practical and technical skills in this country, we will condemn ourselves to a decade of economic decline. If we look at the leading countries for vocational education, it becomes clear the sort of step change that we need in this country. In Switzerland, which I plan to visit later this year, nearly two-thirds of Swiss upper-secondary students enrol in vocational education and training. In a study of the 2000 cohort of Swiss youth, vocational study was the choice of 42 per cent of the highest academic achievers. In Germany, around half of all young people under the age of 22 have successfully completed an apprenticeship, and they are offered by around one in three companies. According to the OECD, the dual system in Germany “offers qualifications in a broad spectrum of professions and flexibly adapts to the changing needs of the labour market” with a “high degree of engagement and ownership on the part of employers and other social partners.” If we are to match countries like Germany and Switzerland we need a major reform programme of vocational courses and qualifications. The CBI has argued that improving the quality of vocational courses could add as much as a percentage point to economic growth. Instead of having courses designed by politicians, Labour would involve businesses in accrediting the quality of vocational courses as part of a new gold standard qualification at 18, a Tech Bacc. One gold standard qualification that exists today is the Engineering Diploma. In fact you could say it was a Rolls Royce qualification – having been designed by the company along with the Royal Academy of Engineering, BAE Systems and JCB. Sadly, the Government decided to downgrade the qualification from being worth 5 GCSEs to only 1. Bizarrely, the Chancellor now says they intend to reinstate a diploma worth 4 GCSEs, but only from 2016. This u-turn illustrates the incoherent and shambolic approach to vocational education from the Government. To secure Britain’s economic future, we must do better. We need to give students a clear route so they can progress. There are too many young people who go through a revolving door of low qualifications, suppressing their potential. Alison Wolf noted in her report that 350,000 young people gain little or no value from the education system. Simply getting a few level 1 or level 2 qualifications often leaves students at risk of ending up not in employment, education or training or finding that there is little return from the labour market for such a low level set of qualifications. Incredibly, the system can actually reduce their potential. Young males with Level 2 NVQs actually earn less than their contemporaries with fewer qualifications. That is staggering if you think about it for a moment – their courses have made them worse off. There are complicated factors behind this revolving door of low qualifications. Prior attainment and engagement in the early years plays its part, as do wider social and economic issues. But getting rid of careers advice, and the EMA have played their part. We need to get the incentives right. We must give young people a clear route and a gold standard to aim for at 18. One that is respected by employers, universities and parents. So Labour’s Tech Bacc will provide a rigorous set of qualifications to motivate young people to progress well beyond Level 2. We also need to provide more quality, high level apprenticeships from which school and college leavers can progress into. I was interested to note the recommendation of 3 year apprenticeships in Policy Exchange’s report this week. On the Government’s watch, while the number of apprenticeships has increased, not enough have been of high enough quality, and too few have gone to young people. Often apprenticeship starts have been about re-badging training courses for existing older workers, rather than giving young people a foot on the employment ladder. So Labour would engage employers in designing high quality apprenticeships, giving them a greater say in spending £1 billion worth of funding to target apprenticeships at young people. We would ensure that groups of employers, coming together in regions, sectors and supply chains, have the resources and powers they need to improve training. These would be powerful, employer-led partnerships working with our FE colleges and bringing together industry stakeholders, building on our landscape of employer associations, professional bodies, Sector Skills Councils, Local Enterprise Partnerships and local chambers of commerce. Nearly half of employers say that the prospect of trained staff being poached by rival firms deters them from training employees. So Labour will ask business what incentives they need to ensure they can deliver the expansion in apprenticeships we need to rebuild the economy. It would then be up to groups of businesses themselves to decide which of these powers they will use. We want to see a new ‘Fast Track’ for apprentices into the civil service, matching the Fast Stream for graduates. And Labour would make it a requirement for all large firms with government contracts to provide apprenticeships. We also have to raise the status and profile of apprenticeships. Too many young people go through school without anyone providing quality advice to them on an apprenticeship. Given the reduction in funding for information and guidance, it is no wonder. Policy Exchange has brought the challenges to light by illustrating that nearly one in three young people drop out of their A Level courses, reflecting the fact they may not have had the best advice to begin with. Labour are looking at how we can improve the quality of advice to young people, including better awareness of apprenticeships. I want to see schools and colleges providing Apprenticeship Taster Days to teenagers. If pupils are able to take a few days out of the classroom to visit universities, then I don’t see why the same principle shouldn’t apply to apprenticeships. Young people from age 14 should be able to get the opportunity to visit companies who have apprenticeships to see what is involved in the programme, and understand the training and career opportunities open to them. I want children to aspire to a high quality apprenticeship, just as much as they might aspire to go to Oxbridge. It might surprise you, but in fact a high quality apprenticeship can be more competitive. In 2010, BT had nearly received nearly 24,000 applications for 221 apprenticeship places, more than the 17,000 applications to Oxford University, which has around 3,000 undergraduate places. I also want to strengthen the relationship between employers and schools and colleges. This includes businesses being involved in the design of the curriculum to ensure young people are work-ready, and more local employers sitting on school and college governing bodies. I am also delighted to announce today that Labour is looking to reform the provision of work experience in schools and colleges. The Government have sidelined work experience, ending the statutory duty for schools to provide work experience for 14 to 16 year olds. Instead, I want all schools to develop partnerships with local employers. At secondary school that means offering a quality work experience placement linked to the curriculum. The work experience placement must be more than just two weeks of photocopying and tea making. It must be a rigorous programme providing experience of workplace skills and followed up with teaching and learning in the classroom. And Labour would go further. We are looking at how businesses can provide ‘work discovery’ programmes to inspire primary school children about the world of work. This would involve businesses conducting visits to primary schools to talk about their sector, and organising factory and office trips for pupils. There are already innovative programmes happening to inspire primary school pupils about the world of work. The YES Programme is a work-related teaching resource that provides bespoke films and lesson materials to primary schools. It provides primary pupils with a window into the world of work, directly linked to the curriculum. And there is Primary Engineer, a non profit programme which encourages primary pupils to consider careers in STEM related professions, by providing teacher training, interactive resources, and competitions for school children. It is clear if we are to develop a generation of entrepreneurs and innovators we need to capture their imagination early. Creating a symbiotic relationship between schools and businesses is one of the tasks of Labour’s One Nation Skills Taskforce. Led by Professor Chris Husbands from the Institute of Education, we are taking advice from distinguished figures from business and skills. The Taskforce’s remit spans 14 – 19 education and will flesh out rigorous academic and vocational routes in order to improve the confidence of young people, parents, education providers and universities. One of the areas we need to consider is how to improve the quality of careers advice and guidance to young people. Since the Government decided to give responsibility to schools for careers advice, we have seen 8 in 10 schools dramatically cut the careers advice they provide, according to a survey by Careers England. Today, the Education Select Committee has produced a withering assessment of the Government’s record on careers advice. They say that both the quality and quantity of careers advice and guidance has deteriorated, at a time when it is most needed. The removal of face to face careers advice by the Government could be hugely damaging in the long term. I’m interested to note the recommendations by the committee to restore face to face provision and for schools to provide an annual careers plan so they can be held accountable to parents for the advice they provide. As the committee notes, young people deserve far better than what is currently on offer. To get young people ready for the modern world of work we have to overcome the crude divides which set young people irreversibly down either the vocational route or the academic route. Vocational versus academic is one of the many false choices in education. Overcoming the divide is critical to building a One Nation Education System. Michael Barber, in his recently published essay Oceans of Innovation challenged educationalists and policy makers to reject the sort of ‘either or’ thinking that has held this country back. Labour would provide more flexibility for young people to do both traditional and practical courses. As part of our reforms to exams and the curriculum I want to ensure that there are more opportunities for young people to switch between different courses, to ensure they play to their strengths and get a broad and balanced education. That means schools developing partnerships with FE colleges and employers to ensure young people doing GCSEs and A Levels get access to equipment, expertise and training in vocational subjects. I have seen this first-hand in schools like the City Academy Norwich which has a partnership with their local FE college. It also means ensuring that those who get our new Tech Bacc at 18 see university as a possible option for their future as much as employment or a high quality apprenticeship. I want to ensure there is rigour in the core subjects such as Maths and English, but not confined to them. Rigour must be applied right across the curriculum, so we will drive up the standard of vocational courses and academic ones. As well as matching countries like Germany and Switzerland on skills, we need to ensure we are competing with the East Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong on the core subjects. That means improving the quality of teaching and learning in English and Maths. We did much in Government to improve standards in literacy and numeracy. At the end of primary school, eight in ten pupils achieved the required level 4 in English and a similar number in Maths in 2010, compared to only six in ten pupils in 1997. And at the end of secondary school, the proportion of students getting a C grade or higher in A Level English went from just over half in 1997 to nearly eight in ten. And at Maths the proportion of students getting a C grade or higher went from six in ten, to eight in ten. Ah – that’s just grade inflation I hear you cry. Well, not according to the TIMSS independent international survey conducted by Boston College. This shows that England was ranked 25th in the world for Maths in 1995, but in the most recent study in 2011 we were ranked 9th, the second highest in Europe. There’s some way to go still, but one of the programmes I am most proud of were the ones that allowed one to one tuition in English and Maths for primary school pupils – known as ‘Every Child a Reader’ and ‘Every Child Counts’. These were innovative programmes, backed by solid research evidence and supported by businesses like KPMG. Unfortunately they have been cut by the Government, despite the fact they got a return on investment of 17 to 1. Already we are seeing 9,000 fewer primary school pupils – a 40% drop – get access to specialist reading tuition. As well as focussing on the early years, I want to see all young people continuing to study English and Maths to 18. We know, as Professor Alison Wolf observed, that almost half of young people are leaving formal education at 16 without reaching the expected level of reading, writing and arithmetic. Of those who stay on after 16, only 3% go on to reach that level. The Government claims it is addressing the Wolf report, but in fact it only provides re-sits for those who don’t get a C grade at GCSE. I want to go much further and create new courses and qualifications so all pupils, whatever route they take continue studying English and Maths to 18. There are a lot of pupils the Government is overlooking. Of those pupils who get a B or a C grade in GCSE Maths, only 16% will go on to study AS-Level Maths. Put another way, every year there are more than a quarter of a million students who achieve a grade B or C at GCSE, but who do not, or cannot, continue studying the subject. Labour is examining how we could create new courses and qualifications for those who want to continue studying English and Maths, but don’t feel a whole A-Level is the right option for them. We are one of the only countries in the developed world that doesn’t require pupils to study Maths and their own language until they leave school. Only one in five students in England studies Maths to the age of 18, whereas the figure in the US, New Zealand and Singapore is over six in ten, and in Germany and Hong Kong it is over nine in ten. The raising of the education participation age, which will increase to 17 this year and to 18 in 2015 provides us with an opportunity to fix this once and for all. The University Technical Colleges, which started under Labour, prove that it can be done. They require Maths and English to age 18, and are proving popular and successful. If you want to succeed in life, you have to be confident and secure in the foundations. But you also have to play to your strengths. Our strength as a nation is when we combine a drive for academic rigour with the creativity and innovation that powered our success through history. It is a strength that will only continue if we have schools, colleges, a curriculum and exams that are forward looking and not regressive. If we end that false divide between the academic and the vocational. Ensuring young people are inspired about the world of work from an early age. With a relentless drive for reform, across the whole education system. Thank you.

SOUTH AFRICA – “IN DANGER OF BEING A FAILED STATE”? 22 January 2013 "We have not completed processing the responses which we received and are therefore using the old mailing list. And if you have not responded please do so now. See the statement at the end of this Insight" Stacey Farao - staceyf@omegainvest.co.za Editor Dear Insight Reader The last Insight which you received in early December was a lead-up to the ANC's important electoral and policy-making conference later in the month.  We focused in particular on the probable election of Cyril Ramaphosa to a top position in the ANC – something we predicted and which of course happened.  We also said – and this didn't take much intelligence – that President Zuma would be re-elected and receive the second term which he so much wanted. As regards policy, the ANC conference took the issue of nationalisation of banks and mines, etc. off the table.  But how far from the table the issue of nationalisation of mines is, is anybody's guess – given the ANC's emotional and counter-productive reaction to Angloplat’s announcement that it intended temporarily closing certain of its mines.  Also important from a policy point of view, the conference adopted the National Development Plan which, as readers will know, we have promoted in this brief. Expecting more from the conference than these positives would be asking too much. Because, quite frankly, South Africa's problems right now are enormous. Socially and economically, our society is divided and unequal, ill-disciplined, frustrated and angry, and too easily resorts to violence. Our institutions of representation, mediation and reconciliation – whether government, unions or private sector leadership – have at times malfunctioned or broken down.  Economically, the infrastructure spending which the government relied on eight months ago to generate jobs, and for which financial provision was made, hasn't been made available.  Certain sectors of the economy, notably mining and minerals with its huge job generation potential, is distinctly in decline with little prospect of either internal or external investment; and our fruit-exporting business, carefully built up over decades, has seriously been affected by widely publicised violent strikes.  All this following on the Marikana tragedy. This unhappy state of affairs is reflected in rating agency evaluations of the country and media perceptions. Last Thursday, Finch downgraded South Africa’s banks and financial institutions, bringing them into line with the Moody's and S & P’s downgrading of the country’s sovereign risk five months ago.  The latest Financial Mail's cover story describes the country as "mired in crisis", and last week a Russian economist specialising on Africa said "South Africa is in danger of tipping over and becoming a failed state". This is over the top and unreal, but it unfortunately is the basis on which foreign decisions on South Africa will be taken.  And no doubt commentary like this has a negative impact also on internal South African business decisions.  And therefore, as South Africans in all sectors of our society, there is a desperate need for us to respond.   The fact is – we are in trouble – and this is not the time for simple statements of intention.  It is a time for action. Firstly, Cyril Ramaphosa must assume the position for which he was elected.  The only person in South African public life with some charisma (what Minister in the South African cabinet would attract an interview by Christiane Amanpour?).  The public reaction to his election was enthusiastic and even more so when ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, speaking immediately after Ramaphosa’s election, said that he would be the de facto prime minister of the country – so raising enormous expectations among South Africans and interested people abroad.  But right now, we have a lame duck deputy president who has already been assigned to a new position, and we have Ramaphosa going around the country making apple pie and mother love speeches, while all the time losing the magic that got him elected by the largest number of votes cast at the conference.  It is a ridiculous situation given what this country needs. Secondly, Trevor Manual as the responsible minister must come out from the shadows and start a visible process – it must be visible – of bringing government policy in all areas into line with the National Plan. And finally, putting all our eggs in the Ramaphosa basket will not be enough.  One person can do a lot to turn situations around.  But much more is needed.  There has been a great deal of talk about an inclusive approach by business.  Inclusivity applies also to government.   We need to reinforce the government and the Cabinet by introducing excellence from the private sector.  President P.W. Botha did it as did F W De Klerk.  And there is therefore no reason why President Zuma shouldn’t do it.  There are some very extraordinary South Africans who could make an immense and unique contribution to in particular the execution of policy.  They are “non-politicals” with no particular political axe to grind.  I think of Phuthuma Nhleko, Bobby Godsell, Iraj Abedian, Wendy Lucas-Bull, Roger Jardine, Seapei Mafoyane, Jayandra Naidoo and Michael Spicer.  Somebody like Pravin Gordhan, who is an excellent minister of finance, needs help in persuading his Cabinet colleagues that money doesn't grow on trees.  These are some examples of people who can enormously enrich the governing of our country to everybody's advantage and generate confidence internationally.  There are so many more who would be willing to offer their services in the improvement of governance in our country.  Two important developments in the run-up to the ANC's conference have been largely overlooked in appraisals of that event.  The first is that a business lobby emerged – mainly made up of youngish business leaders – who were prepared to raise their heads above the parapets, and no doubt will do so again in the interests of accountability.  And secondly, and probably more importantly, has been the mobilisation of the faiths.  I say faiths because it involves Christians, Jews, Hindus and Moslems.  Under the leadership of the impressive, clearly fearless and youthful Archbishop Thabo Makgobo they warned President Zuma that if leaders did not act to stop the moral decay in the country, the churches would mobilise civil society "to bring about a more healthy democracy".  The involvement of the churches early last December is reminiscent of their crucial role against apartheid.  And it is a very welcome one because it seems that our leaders don't understand what morally accountable government is about. This is illustrated by President Zuma's statement last week at an ANC business bash that companies who supported the ANC could expect their fortunes to be multiplied.  The Sunday Times followed this at the weekend by carrying a front-page report that one of President Zuma's biggest donors had been awarded a R1.2 billion contract by the Gauteng government. One presumes this was just a coincidence. ---oOo---  Dear Insight Reader With thousands of other informed and "with it" people around the world, you received the Insight political risk service during 2012.  And we would like you to continue to receive it in 2013. Today, political risk is at the top of every investor - whether large or small - and business person’s agenda. This is so all over the world but particularly in Africa. We know because after the  Marikana mining disaster, Moody's and  S&P's downgrading of the country, and the violent fruit farm strikes  in the normally placid Western Cape and elsewhere, we've been hard pressed to keep up with international enquiries along the lines of "what's going on in that country?" And we know in our  guts that those questions are bound to increase. As a result we've expanded the Insight Africa service - and this is particularly important to you – we have adopted a more effective delivery system. And for you to be on it, whether you currently get Insight directly by e-mail or whether it was originally forwarded to you, you need to confirm your contact details. Otherwise you will not receive Insight!. Please update your contact details by using the subscribe/update profile tabs below to assist me in reaching you in future, or unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive Insight Africa.  Thank you Stacey Farao - staceyf@omegainvest.co.za Editor     Centre of African studies, University of London   Seminar     ‘Reflections on Nigeria 's Fourth Republic ’     Sylvester Odion AKHAINE, Department of Political Science, Lagos State University , Lagos , Nigeria  & Chairman, Board of Trustees, Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation     31 January 2013   12-2pm   Venue: 30 Russell Square , Room 401, SOAS   Dr Akhaine has worked severally in various capacities. He is contributing editor to several newspapers and journals, including The Guardian newspaper; UK-based Review of African Political Economy, and currently the Executive Director, Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation, publishers of The Constitution, the leading journal from this part of Africa . As an accomplished academic, he has several publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Political Studies Review; Journal of Asian and African Studies, Review of African Political Economy, Nigerian Journal of International Affairs. Others are The Next Anarchy, Governance: Nigeria and the World and Local Government Administration in Nigeria : Old and New Visions. Akhaine has received international commendations and awards for contribution to the cause of freedom and democracy in Nigeria .