Addis Ababa - The outgoing African Union (AU) Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Blue Economy, Angolan Josefa Sacko, said Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that she leaves behind a "very rich" legacy built during her eight years at the helm of the institution.
The diplomat made the statements to the press after the 46th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council, which, among other things, elected and appointed six commissioners and senior officials of the organs of the African Union.
When she took office in 2017, Sacko said she found the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), which said was emblematic and felt inspired to define the 2026-2035 strategy aimed to transform agriculture on the continent over the next decade.
According to Josefa Sacko, Africans must take their destiny into their own hands because they cannot rely on partners to implement programs.
"We Africans have to be the ones to invest in this very important sector of agriculture," Sacko said, adding that she is also leaving behind the climate change strategy, which did not exist before the start of her mandate.
"We didn't have an African, continental strategy on climate change. I have left that strategy. I also left the biodiversity strategy. There are many documents and legal instruments that I have left," she said, noting that it is a "strong" legacy.
Another important element of her work at the African Union has to do with the creation of the Animal Vaccines Laboratory.
The diplomat highlighted the fact that during her mandate, she managed to mobilize 53 million US dollars for the construction of a new laboratory, the foundation stone of which has already been laid by the President of the Commission.
Josefa Sacko said she hopes that US support for this project will continue, as she understands it has already been approved by the US Senate.
"We know that through vaccines we can also create insecurity on our continent through biological bombs. That's why the United States has helped us build this laboratory to produce vaccines for our animals," she said, noting that many African countries are heavily involved in livestock production.
Another good legacy, according to Josefa Sacko, is the program that aims to increase the attention of women in agriculture, which did not exist before in the department, emphasizing that 80% of food is produced by women and, in her opinion, empowering rural women is a challenge to be overcome.
To this end, she said she has left a study at the African Union and contacts with the United Nations to develop a strategy on the role of women in agriculture.
The 46th Session of the AU Executive Council considered the report of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREP), the annual report on the activities of the Union, its organs and champions, the report of the 15th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), as well as the Draft Constitutional Charter of the African Union.
Delegates also considered the draft legal instruments, the reports of the Executive Council Committees, the items proposed by Member States, the draft agenda and the draft decisions of the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African continent on 15 and 16 February will confirm the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, as head of the continental organization until February 2026.SR/ART/TED/AMP
