Monitoring Role

OSAA’s monitoring function derives from a mandate conferred by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, tasking the Office with tracking the implementation of all global commitments related to Africa’s development. In 2020, this function was strategically reconceptualized to align with the 2030 Agenda, recognising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the principal global framework for commitment implementation. As such, OSAA now monitors Africa-related commitments through the lens of the SDGs, while maintaining continuity with legacy mandates.

At the heart of this function is the United Nations Monitoring Mechanism (UNMM) for Africa, for which OSAA serves as the Secretariat. The mechanism systematically assesses the performance of international and African stakeholders, tracking commitments made, the quality and alignment of delivery, and their contribution to Africa’s development, peace, and security. It provides an integrated view of how traditional partners, emerging partners, and the United Nations system itself are supporting the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda on the continent.

Beyond tracking inputs and outputs, OSAA’s monitoring focuses on outcomes and structural conditions. The Office reviews the evolving nature of international support to African institutions, in particular the African Union and AUDA-NEPAD, and assesses whether that support is strategic, demand-driven, and transformative. OSAA also evaluates how UN system actions contribute to enabling environments, such as improved governance, institutional capacity, and conflict prevention, which are prerequisites for effective SDG delivery.

A distinctive feature of OSAA’s monitoring work is its attention to conflict dynamics. Each year, OSAA provides a forward-looking analysis of the root causes and structural drivers of conflict in Africa and evaluates how these dynamics affect and are affected by the continent’s sustainable development trajectory. This analysis is critical to shaping integrated UN responses and ensuring that peace and development are addressed as mutually reinforcing objectives.

By embedding monitoring within the SDG and Agenda 2063 frameworks, OSAA has repositioned this function as a tool for system-wide accountability, policy coherence, and strategic learning. It allows the UN system and Africa’s partners to move beyond declarations toward measurable impact, and keeps Africa’s priorities at the center of multilateral delivery.