This is a critical year for Africa as we head towards the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to be held from 20-22 September 2010 in New York. With only five years before the MDGs are to be achieved, it is important that all African stakeholders, including citizens, review the progress made in recent years and develop a set of priorities for engagement and advocacy in Africa, and towards building a redefined relationship between Africa and the international community.

Against this background, African Monitor and various partners, including ONE and the Southern Africa Trust, are facilitating face-to-face consultations around the continent to develop a citizen-driven agenda for Africa in the second decade of the 21st century.

The face-to-face consultations are complemented by an e-consultation process, referred to as #AfricanAgenda2010, to leverage mass input and collaboration. The target is to generate feedback and responses from 10 000 people. The e-consultation is a useful tool to solicit people’s perspectives on what they think are the key emerging priorities for Africa. This exercise will identify trends and common issues in a timely manner along with the face-to-face consultations which explore emerging issues in greater depth.

Coordinated by SANGONeT, the #AfricanAgenda2010 e-consultation is open to all African citizens, including in the Diaspora.

As a key stakeholder in the African development process, your participation is crucial to the success of the e-consultation.

• Complete the #AfricanAgenda2010 Survey - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W835YB5;

• Comment on the issues, challenges and priorities raised during both the face-to-face and e-consultations - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ;

• Assist us in raising awareness about the #AfricanAgenda2010is process (through e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, your newsletters and website, etc.) and encourage people in your personal and professional networks to also complete the survey.

The deadline for submissions and feedback is 25 May 2010 to coincide with Africa Day.

The final outcome of this consultative process will be a document highlighting key emerging priority issues for Africa for 2010 and beyond. It will be presented to the African Union and shared at other strategic platforms at country, regional and continental levels, with special attention to those that can implement its recommendations by 2015 and contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development across the continent.

For more information about #AfricanAgenda2010, refer to http://www.ngopulse.org/group/africanagenda2010.

Thank you for your participation and support.

The SANGONeT Team

http://www.sangonet.org.za