The Economic Commission for Africa in the 1990s : a policy and management framework for facing Africa's development challenge

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UN ITED NATIONS Economic Commission

for Africa

E/ECA/CM.18/4

THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA IN THE 19905

APOLICY AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR FACING

AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES

Distr .: GENERAL

II

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

E/ECA/CM.18/4 26 March 1992 Original : ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Thirteenth meeting of the Technical

Preparatory Committee of the Whole

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 10-16 April 1992

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Twenty-seventh session of the Commission/

eighteenth meeting of the Conference of Ministers

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 20-24 April 1992

THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA IN THE 19908 A POLICY AND MANAGEMEl'l'T FRAMEWORK FOR FACING

AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES

INTRODUCTION

ECA has had an impressive record of accomplishments in identifying economic and social challenges facing Africa and articulating strategies for dealing with them. In this respect, ECA has been a major contributor to or the sole architect of several regional and international strategies and programmes adopted for Africa in the past. To mention but a few, these include the Lagos Plan of Action and the Fi.ialAct of Lagos, Africa's Priority Programme. for Economic Recovery (APPER), the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development (UN-PAAERD), the Khartoum Declaration on Human centred Development, the African Charter on Popular Participation in Develop- ment and Transformation, and the African Al- ternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Transformation (AAF-SAP). ECA has also been instrumental in the launching of the firstand second United Nations Transport and Com- munications Decade in Africa and the Industrial Development Decade for Africa, and the preparation of their respective programmes.

To remain at the forefront of strategic thinking and policy innovations on Africa's socio-economic development, ECA must also undertake stock-taking at periodic intervals, with a view to reinforcing its capacity and capability to better serve African countries.

This is particularly true in the light of dramatic recent and continuing changes in Africa and other world regions.

E/ECA/CM.18/4

To prepare ECA for these changes and challenges, and to ensure greater impact of its activities on African Development, the Execu- tive Secretary established, in November 1991, a Task Force to review and appraise ECA's policy orientation, programmes and manage- ment capacity. The Task Force was-composed of five eminent persons from outside ECA with rich experience and knowledge of African economic and political issues. They were as- sisted by three officials from ECA who served as resource persons. In conducting its work, the Task Force interviewed all Chiefs of Division in ECA, -representatives of the ECA Staff Union, and prominent personalities from within and outside Africa.

The present document is largely based on the report of the Task Force and insight of ECA staff. In a first section, the document reviews the purposes and goals of ECA. Section two identifies the major features and factors of the environment in which ECA will have to operate in the 1990s and adapt itself to. In section three on lines of programming, a selected num- ber of areas are identified as focus for programme delivery against which ECA's im- pact on African development should be measured. These take into account existing subprogrammes as contained in the 1992- 1997 Medium-term Plan and the 1992-1993 biennial programme of work. The final section examines ways and means of improving the quality of ECA's products and enhancing the efficiency of the processes for their delivery.

I.PURPOSE AND GOALS OF ECA

The basic document that sets the legal context for ECA's operations is the terms of reference of the Commission contained in Economic and Social Council resolution 617A (XXV)adopted in April 1958. The mandate was further defined and elaborated by the General Assembly in resolution 32/197 of 20 December 1977 on the restructuring of the economic and social Sectors of the United Nations system, particularly as it was defined in section IV of the annex to the resolution on structures for regional and interregional cooperation.

After the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963 and the estab- lishment of its secretariat in Addis Ababa, ECA found Itself in a unique situation, having asits partner a major regional organization at the political level. Consequently, member States have been addressing their resolutions and decisions in the economic and social fields equally to the two secretariats. This special relationship between the OAU and ECA was reflected in the agreement signed by the two organizations on 15 November 1965. It was further elaborated in the Memorandum of Agreement signed by the two organizations in 1982.

The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU have, informally, strengthened the mandate of ECA by assigning it a prominent role, in conjunction with the OAU and the African Development Bank (ADB), in the formulation and implementation of key aspects of African strategies'and plans of action. The Assembly has in particular en- joined ECA, the OAU and ADB in a joint secretariat to provide assistance to member States in their endeavour to establish the African Economic Community.

Certain steps have recently been taken within the United Nations to revitalize the man- date of the regional commissions. These in- clude the adoption by the ECA Conference of Ministers of resolution 718 (XXVI)which was subsequently endorsed by ECOSOC resolution 1991/302 of July 1991. The ECOSOC resolu- tion requested the Director-General for Development and International Economic Cooperation to take steps towards the conven- ing of ahigh~evelgroup of experts to consider the mandate and the funding of the commis- sions.

A. MISSIon statement for

ECA

Though the scopeof ECA's activities have evolved considerablyover the years, its central mission has remained the same, namely to initiate and participate in measures for facilitat- ing concerted action for the economic develop- ment of Africa, including its social aspects, and maintaining and strengthening economic cooperation iQ the region and with other countries of the world. On this basis, a state- ment of mission

for

ECA is herewith derivedas follows:

"ECAis a voice for Africa's economic and social transformation"

Simply stated, this means that ECA is committed to the survival of Africans and to their social and economic well-being. It shall promote people as the means and ends of development. It shall foster Africa's diversified and unified strengths. It shall also work to optimize the resources for Africa's develop- ment. In all it does, ECA shall enhance Africa's self-respect.

B. Desired impacts

In the light of the foregoing, the primary accomplishments that ECA should strive to achieve can be viewed in three ways, namely actions aimed at the member States as a preparation for their involvement in coopera- tion with other African States;actions aimed at promoting economic cooperation directly through the establishment of legal instruments and other mechanisms; and those aimed at fostering its intellectual leadership on socio- economic issues facing Africa. ECA has most often been at its best when it articulated in- sightful and pertinent regional viewpoints on fundamental economic and social challenges facing Africa, and proposing solutions. On this premiseand taking due account of areaswhere comparative advantage for ECA actions will exist for many years ahead, the following are the desired impacts that ECA must seek to have:

(a) Provide Africa with a wider vision of itself through intellectual leadership on economic and social issues. In so doing,

ECA will speak not only to Africa, but to the international community, informing them about African issues, advocating solutions to these issues, and building bridges, often in tandem with other regional organizations, for Africa with the rest of the world. ECA has often been at its most notable and at its best in so doing in the past and the needs for this kind of voice exist and will continue well into the future;

(b) Strengthen the ability of both membet States and their intergovernmental institutions to effect better-functioning regional cooperation;

(c) Strengthen' subregional institutions to enable them to serve effectively and efficiently the member States; and (d) Enable member States, through

well-targeted advisory services and operational activities, to better carry out their responsibilities under regional or subreqionally agreed cooperative actions.

c. Target constituencies

To make the above impacts felt, ECA must clearly identify its target constituencies and main partners, and devise clear strategies to serve or interact with them efficiently. The main constituencies for ECA are its member States, followed byregional and subregional organizations and the diverse community of Africans active in development. Its main other partner is the international community at large, including the United Nations system. ECA's activities should fully take into account the needs and views of these communities and its products should be strategically tailored ac- cordingly.

ECA will strive to cement ties with its member countries through a variety of ways including:

(a) Closer links with the ECA Conference of Ministers and its subsidiary ministerial or

E/ECA/CM.18/4

expert bodies, by providing them with precise options relating to various development issues;

(b) Fostering, with the assistance of the OAU, close links with representatives of member States in Addis Ababa, New York, Geneva and Vienna, and with the Ambassadors of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) in Brussels, as needed; and

(c) Being in closer regular contact with key ministries, including the ministries of planning and economic development, ministries of finance, major sectoral ministries, and ministries of foreign affairs.

There is also the need to focus on a range of private institutions, including academic and professional groupings, which are keenly inter- ested in African development policies and which are essential actors in Africa's future development. Indeed, through appropriate government ministries or institutions, ECA will widen its interactions with other organized socio-economic groups, such as trade unions, associations of manufacturers, professional as- sociations, non-governmental organizations, etc.

It is also important for ECA to focus on the international community. This would re- quire wider cooperation with countries of other developed and developing reqions, multilateral institutions including those of the United Na- tions system, private foreign investors and non- governmental organizations. Of the regional institutions, ECA is perhaps best situated to interact with these external partners for both policy analysis and operational activities.

ECA should furthermore periodically review the state of its relationshipswith its constituencies and key partners, to determine whether it is having desired impacts effectively and efficiently. In so doing, the institution will try different approaches for different issues and learn from its varied experience.

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II. ENVIRONMENT FOR ECA OPERATIONS IN THE 19905

ECA's mandate will be carried out,in the 1990s, in an environmentthat willbe markedly different from those of the previous decades.

The preeminent feature of the new environ- ment will be competition in an inter-dependent world. Thisimplies that for ECA to remain a major force in Africa's socio-economic develop- ment, it will have to reinforce its creative capacity, its articulation of issues related to Africa's social and economic conditions, and it'.:

ability to mobilize and attract resources for the implementation ofits operational activities.

A. Present and future operating environment

The followingare some of the main, but by no means exclusive, characteristicsof the operating environment for ECA in the years ahead, several of which are already of growing significance:

(a) lncreasinqly, emphasis has shifted from large-scale involvement of governments in economic activities to increased participation of the private sector, with particular emphasis on economic reforms and macro-economic policies conducive to engineering growth and equity;

(b) There has been an increasing preoccupation by African Governments on achieving macro-economicbalances in the short term, and ministries of finance have assumed increasing importance in development decisions;

(c) The OAU will be more actively involved in economic issues as a result of its mandate to bring the African Economic Community to fruition;

(d) AsAfrican countries devote attention to building the African Economic Community in the 1990s, issues of economic integration and cooperation will become central to their economic policy. There is a challenge here to use regional cooperation as a vehicle for socio-economic development and transformation;

(e) Similarly, more powerful economic groupings will emerge in both developed and other developing regions;

(f) There will be growing involvement of specialized agencies or organs of the United Nations system in many 'of the same areas that ECA has programmes.

ECA,like other regional commissions, can be expected to face a major challenge with respect to regional programmes as resources made available by funding agencies become difficult to obtain and some of the funding agencies establish their own regionaladvisory services;and (g) Multilateral development institutions, including organizations of the United Nations system, will increasingly be compelled to limit their activities to the regular budget, given the diminution of the extrabudgetary resources.

B. Performing in a

competitive environment

ECA should endeavour to increase its competitiveness in view of the operating en- vironment which is emerging in the 1990s.

This will require major efforts to become a centre of excellence in the region. These ef- forts mustinclude the following:

(a) ECA should continue to provide intellectual leadership in Africa's socio-economic development. In doing this, it,will need to identify problems, propose solutions, and promote them both to African governments and to the international community. ECA's long-term perspective study "ECA and Africa's development, 1983-2008" and the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Transformation are examples of ECA's performance in this respect;

(b) ECA should continue its strong advocacy on Africa's socio-economic issues. Such advocacy must be backed by solid research in order for it to be more credible;

(c) Consistent with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, ECA should exercise a team leadership role in United Nationssystem-wide efforts on socio-economic issues pertaining to Africa. In this regard, it has special responsibility to promote consensus on

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priorities and directions for Africa's economic development, especiaily at the policy and programme formulation stage, by United Nations organizations and specialized agencies;

(d) ECA should identify areasof field research and create networks of rnultl-disciplinary collaboration with organizations and agencies of the United Nations system, and with African intergovernmental organizations;

(e) ECA should reinforce its assistance to African Governments to develop their capacity for economic negotiations and economic management. In particular, it should

assist

African Governments to develop their capacity for linking short-term economic management with long-term structural transformation through, inter alia, contributing to the design of structural adjustment programmes;

(f) ECA should continue to explore questions where it may find targets of opportunities to make very significant contributions and reinforce its own internal capacities in such areas. This will require, inter alia, active staff training programmes, and the establishment and expansion of its intellectual network both within and' outside Africa;

{g) ECA will need to enhance its multi-disciplinarity in analysis, research, and operations; and

(h) ECA will endeavour to strengthen its existing information network which is essential for providing member States and Africa's development partners with key economic and social data, and at the same time, publicizing ECA products.

C. ECA relationships with its constituencies and main development partners

Maintaining and reinforcing excellent relationshipswith a variety of actors (countries, institutions and agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations) will be vital for ECA to carry out its mandate more efficiently in the 1990s. The following are.

some ways and' means for rnanaqinq such relationships.

1. African Governments

. African Governments are the centre-piece of ECA operations. As such, the secretariat

E/ECA/CM.18/4

needs to significantly reinforce its ties with them. For some countries, this implies assis- tance for domestic capability building, especial- ly with respect to human resources and technical skills. For others, with significant human resources bases, ECA will have to en- sure that its activities complement and not duplicate existing capabilities. Its interactions with African Governments would be conceived as opportunities for policy and intellectual dialogues designed to meet identified needs of member States.

ECA will reinforce its dialogue with African Governments through, among other things, regular briefings for the ministers responsible for finance, economic develop- ment and planning, on current economic development issues. Such briefings, which will take the form of correspondence, would make succinct analyses of key developments in Africa's economy and include recommenda- tions to member States. ECA will also brief, on a systematic basis, African sectoral ministers before major international conferences on main issues requiringcollectiveaction.

The initial steps that ECA has taken to stimulate increased attendance by ministers at ECA intergovernmental conferences will be vigorously pursued, namely by focusing the agenda of such conferences on specific themes, by reducing length and frequency of sectoral meetings, possibly to once in three years as already happens in the case of the ministerial meetings for human resources development and social affairs augmented by small steering committees in the inter-sessional years.

2. The OAU and ADB

ECA, the OAU and ADB should continue, more vigorously, to exercise a joint respon- sibility for advocacyon African questions. They should aim, through consultations at both ex- ecutive and technical levels, at strengthening each other in their respective fields of com- petence: The functions of the three institutions are complementary in nature. All three or- ganizations should therefore reinforce their procedures for consulting on major actions.

The 1982 Memorandum of Agreement be- tween the General

Secretariat

of the Organiza- tion .of African Unity and the Executive Secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on Practical Measures for Harmonious and Efficient Cooperation and Collaboration in particular in the Implementa-

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tion of the Lagos Plan of Action and Final Act is a model that can be used with appropriate modifications.

The three organizations should reinforce the existing joint secretariat and widen its scope to cover all issues on'which joint discus- sionsand cross-fertilization are desirable.Thus, the joint secretariat could..more effectively, prepare for the meetings of the executive heads of the three institutions. In the context of using the forum to exchange views on politi- cal, economic and development questions con- fronting Africa, it can facilitate the apportioning of responsibilities among the three organizations in specific areas.

3. Subregional organizations

ECA has been.instrumental in the estab- lishment of major subregional economic group- ings. In addition to organizing meetings of intergovernmental organizations, it should also endeavour to link and harmonize its program- mes and activities with those of the inter- governmental organizations, especially in priority areas identified by them. ·The Multina- tional Programming and Operational Centres (MULPOCs) can serve as vital links in this respect. Indeed, the work of the MULPOCs will reinforce the links between ECA and the inter- governmental organizations.

4. United Nations organizations and specialized agencies

ECA will seek to reinforce its relationships with other organizations and specialized agen- cies of the United Nations system, particularly those in the economic and social fields. In this connection, it would be desirable to establish or strengthen working arrangements with relevant United Nations organizations and spe- cialized agencies, with the objectives of having convergent policies and programmes for achieving maximum impacts on African development. ECA will endeavour to strengthen ties not only at the executive head level, but at other levels among the officials of the various agencies. In this regard, the estab- lishment of joint units such as the Joint ECA/FAO Food and Agriculture Division and of joint technical cooperation arrangements such as those existing between ECA and the Inter- national Labour Organisation (ILO) in the field of household surveys would be encouraged.

There is also scope for collaboration be- tween ECA and the Bretton Woods institutions,

especially in joint policy analysis and research' on Africa's economic and social issues. The consensus which has already been built should be translated into cooperation in the design.

and implementation of programmes for Africa.

This, however, should not lead to the dilution .of the independence of ECA in the advocacy

for Africa's economic and social policy.

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African academic community and research institutions

ECA will reinforce intellectual dialogue on policy directions and prescriptions for Africa's socio-economic development with African universities and research institutes. To this end, it can play the role of consensus-builder on issues pertaining to Africa's socio-economic development. The meetings of vice-chancellors of African universities and other forums such as the African economic associations are, in this regard, effective vehicles for the collective review of basic problems facing Africa and for gaining insights in conceptualizing ECA future programmes.

6. Non-govemmental organizations

The increasing role of non-qovernmental organizations in African countries is a welcome development. ECA has already embraced this trend and has promoted it through, among other things, the organization of the Interna- tional Conference on Popular Participation in Development and Transformation, held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, in February 1990. ECA will reinforce its ties with non-governmental organizations by estab- lishing a focal point for them within the secretariat and instituting mechanisms for regular contacts.

7. Professional associations and the private sectos

Asindicated earlier, ECA has to reinforce its activities for the promotion of the private sector and professional associations

in

^Africa.

This will entail, inter alia the devising of effec- tive programmes to support entrepreneurship in Africa. In this regard, since women are key players

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various facets of African develop- ment, ECA must continue to give deserved prominence to women's issues in its activities.

8. Bilateral donors

ECA will endeavour to establish confident working relationships with bilateral donors. A

major step in that direction is to arrive at a better appreciation of ECA's activities, with a view to securing funds for operational ac- tivities. In this regard, promoting high-level dialogue with bilateraldonors would help in bringing African perspectives to the donors and promote consensus.

D. THE MULPOCS AND ECA-SPONSORED

INSTITUTIONS

Since its establishment, ECA has en- deavoured" to maintain the impetus for operationalizing its programmes in member States. The MULPOCs and the network' of ECA-sponsored institutions have been among the instruments usedfor realizing this. Their role and functions need to be carefully reviewed to enable them better serve member States.

1. MULPOCs

The question of how to use the MULPOCs has been examined periodically. Several op- tions may be considered, namely strengthen- ing, terminating or transforming the MUL.POCs into liaison offices with existing subregional economic groupings. 'Terminating the MULPOCs is not considered a viable option. As it may be recalled, ECA member States have, as recently as May 1990 at the sixteenth meet- ing of the ECA Conference of Ministers in Tripoli, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, reaffirmed that the objectives and purposes for which the MULPOCs were established are more valid now than 13 years ago. The United Nations General

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Assembly has recently approved additional staff resources to strengthen the MULPOCs.

Therefo.re, clear and concise tasks should now be set for the MULPOCs so that ECA member States can judge their impact on African development at the subregional level.

2. ECA-sponsored institutions

The establishment by ECA of various in- stitutions is one of its major accomplishments.

These institutions were established to fill cer- tain critical gaps in areas that are essential to Africa's socio-economic development. How- ever, these institutions have, almost since their inception, been plagued by a number of problems, the most prominent being inade- quate financial resources and, in sorne cases, management diffi.culties especially at the leadership level.

The secretariat's dealings with these in- stitutions would be guided by the following main considerations:

(a) Limiting its role in the policy organs of the institutions so as to increase member States involvement in the formulation of guidelines for programme design and implementation;

(b) Examining the specific problems of each of the institutions as they arise, and advise their respective policy organs on solutions;

(c) Ensuring linkages between ECA's activities and those of its sponsored institutions; and

(d) Securing the financial base of those institutions ·that are performing well.

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III. LINES OF PROGRAMMING

A. General considerations

ECA's main task is to deliver services aimed at supporting the efforts of African countries in promoting socio-economic development and transformation. This assis- tance is generally achieved through ECA'swork programmes.

ECA'sprogramme of work is derived from two main sources: the terms of reference of the Commission; various resolutions of the main legislative bodies of the United Nations, namely the General Assembly and ECOSOC, as well as the ECA Conference of Ministers.

Regional and international strategies and plans of action are an additional source. These are often embodied in those resolutions. They are important sources in that they specify certain priorities to be pursued by African Govern- ments and international institutions and or- ganizations in support of the efforts of African countries. Such strategiesand plans include, inter alia, the Lagos Plan of Action, the Transport and Communications Decade, Strategies for Revitalization, Recovery and Growth for Africa Trade in the 1990s and Beyond, the Industrial Development Decade, the Forward-looking Strategies for Women, the Kilimanjaro Programme of Action for African Population, the Addis Ababa Plan of Action for Statistical Development in Africa in the 1990s, the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development (1986-1990), the Khartoum Declaration on Human-centred Development, the African Charter for Social Action, the African Alterna- tive Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Development, the African Charter for Popular Participation in Development and Transforma- tion and, more recently, the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. To a large extent, they have had and will continue to have an important in- fluence on ECA's programmes.

Two important characteristics can be drawn about the programme of work of ECA.

Firstly, because of the multisectoral and multi- disciplinary nature of ECA's mandate, the range of legislated priorities and themes is wide. Secondly, given that some of those priorities are also mandated to certain United Nationsspecialized agencies arid other regional

organizations, ECA should organize the im- plementation of its activities so as to achieve the maximum impact in its primary mission of promoting socio-economic and development and transformationof African countries..

B. Areas of focus for programme delivery

Guided by the foregoing considerations, ECA would ensure that its programme delivery is such that the activities undertaken bring about the maximum synergetic effects.To that end, it is important to identify areas of focus whichwould cut across part of or all existing subprogrammes. Thiswill make it possible to monitor more closely the impact of ECA's ac- tivities on African development.

Theidentif icatio n of areas of focus have taken into account a number of factors related to Africa's current economic situation.These include the basic development issues that need to be addressed and the changes taking place in the world. Based on the above broad criteria, ECA programme delivery would focus on the following areas!

(a) Strengthening its advocacy role on socio-economic questions;

(b) Promoting regional cooperation and integration;

(c) Enhancing the efficiency of the public sector in promoting economic development and in fostering entrepreneurship;

(d) Ensuring a desirable balance between food supply, population, human settlements and environment;

(e) Fostering human-centred development;

(f) Achieving structural transformation and diversification of African economies; and (g) Promotionof women in development.

Asindicated above, the areas are neither a substitute for existing subprogrammes nor new priorities. Instead, they should represent basic indicators of achievement of the objec- tives of ECA, with respect to African develop- ment.

1. Strengthening lCA's advocacy role on socio-economic questions

ECA has, in the past, played a major role in the advocacy for Africa's socio-economic development. This was done, inter alia, through basic publications such as the Lagos Planof Action, the long-term perspective study on "ECA and Africa's development, 1983- 2008¹ and the African Alternative Framework to Structural Adjustment Programmes for Socio-economic Recovery and Transformation.

ECA should continue to provide such intellec- tual leadership and widen its scope. To that end, it is important to continuously adjust to socio-economic trends at international, regional, subregional and national levels. Such adjustment should cover not only global issues such as external debt, cornrnsdity markets, trade and financial flows, currency and interest rates, but also specific considerations, such as technology changes in major productive and services sectors.

This area of focus has relevance to all ECA's current subprogrammes and activities.

The more a specific programmed activity takes into account the current trends in the relevant subject matter or issue, the greater would be its impact. Adjusting to socio-economic trends would also provide a forward-looking perspec- tive with a view to formulating Africa's posi- tions on current or emerging socio-economic issues of importance, especially in preparation for major international conferences.

2. Promoting regional cooperation and Integration

Since the adoption of the Final Act of lagos in 1980, economic integration has been high on the agenda of both ECA and the OAU.

This. has led to some important achievements, namely the establishment of subreqional economic groupings such as the Preferential Trade Area of Eastern and Southern African States (PTA),. the Economic Community of Central African States(ECCAS) and the Magreb Arab Union (MAU). The EconomicCommunity . of West African States (ECOWAS) which predates the Final Act of Lagos has made impressive strides in integration. Achieve- ments also include. the establishment of a large . number of ECA-sponsored institutions which cover"most of the subprogrammes. ECA has also, in the framework of the

Joint

OAU/ECA/ADS Secretariat, contributed to the preparation of the treaty establishing the African Economic Community, which was

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signed in June 1991 by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU.

ECA-programmed activities should, both in design and implementation, contribute bet- ter to enhancing subregional and regional cooperation. As and when required, these activities should result in establishing closer cooperation in" the various areas including macro-economic policy formulation, trade, productive activities,training, technology ac- quisition and development, etc. As much as possible, ECA activities should be carried out through or in cooperation with subregional or regional institutions so as to strengthen their integrating role.

As already pointed out, most of the ECA- sponsored institutions are on the verge of col- lapse mainly because of neglect by member States of the services these institutions could provide and the lack of adequate financial resources.

3. Enhancing the efficiency of the public sector in promoting economic development and, in fostering entrepreneurship

The nature and scope of public sector activities in African countries are changing.

This is traceable partly to the reduced level of resources available to governments and the disappointing performance of public enterprises, and partly to economic reform or structural adjustment programmes imple- mented by African Governments which have prescribed reduction of the size and scope of the public sector and ofitsoperations primarily through privatization. Asa corollary, particular emphasis has been placed on the role of government as a provider of an enabling en- vironment for the private sector. Besides, the growing pressurefor the effective and efficient management of the economic reform and development processes has added a new chal- lenge to the responsibilities of public manage- ment. In this regard, ECA'.s activities have been very successful in adapting to and focusinq on emerging challenges facing the public sector and changing conditions in the continent.

However, we cannot be complacent about what has been achieved so far. ECA's efforts willbeintensified further and it will continue to anticipate change and playa pro-active role in this area.

The immediate challenge ahead is to con- tinue to assist in the strengthening of policy-

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making and analytical capacity of African Governments while, at the same time,helping them to create the necessary environment for providing incentives for effective mobilization of private economicagents.

A criteriafor success in thisarea would thus be the extent that ECA activitiesenhance government's role in promoting socio- economic transformationthrough the efficien-

cy

of the public sector and stimulation and development of entrepreneurship.

4. Ensuring a desirable balance be- tween food supply, population, human settlements and environment

Africa's population is projected to grow faster than its tood and agricultural production making the objective of food self-sufficiency more validtoday than ever. Food and agricul- tural production trends.are therefore a cause for concern. The food crisisin Africa has been compounded by criticalfactors as high rate of population growth, neglect of rural develop- ment, rapid urbanization leading to massive unemployment and deteriorat inghousingcon- ditions, and the degradat ion of the environ- ment. Food, shelter, environment, and population are inextricably interconnected is- sues for human survival. They are essential elements in addressing the basic question of poverty alleviation. Conversely, efforts towards reducing poverty will have a positive impact on these survival issues.

ECA activities should, as much as possible, endeavour to assist member States in design- ing appropriate policies in the areas of food supply, population, human settlements and en- vironment. Promotingself-reliance in food and agricultural production must remain an impor- tant component of economic policiesof African countries. This area of focuscuts also across all subprogrammes of ECA.

5. Fostering human-eentred develop- ment

The Khartoum International Conference on the Human Dimension of Africa's Economic Recovery and Development and the Arusha International Conference on Popular Participa- tionin the Recovery and Development Process in Africa,organized by ECA in 1988 and 1990 respectively, have demonstrated that develop- ment cannot take place

if

the people con- cerned are not the main actors and the principal beneficiaries of the development

process. ECA's programmes and activities have been designed and implemented with the objectiveof assistingmember States in building up human capabilities; strengthening and streamlining institutional capacity; improving the human conditions; making productiveuse of the labour force that is abundantin African countries; and fostering human-centred development. They also promote popular par- ticipation in development and recognize that the strengtheningof socialand human forces for economic and social development will also underpin democraticchanges in the region.

ECA's pioneering initiatives and program- mes in this crucial area will be sustained and further strengthened in the years ahead.

6. Achieving structural transforma- tion and diversification

Promoting diversification of Africa's economy away from the current pattern of production dominatedby agro-rawmaterialsto a technology-basedeconomyis fundamental to its structural transformation. Achieving this goal will require skilled human resourcesbut also efficient physical capitalinfrastructures. In this context, particular emphasiswillcontinue tobeplaced onindustrial development, and on expanding and improving the telecommunica- tions and transportnetwork in Africa and build- ing science and technology capacity. A criteria of success in this area will be how ECA activities would strengthen the capacity of African countries to develop their physical capital.

7. Promotion of women in develop- ment

As an essential component of Africa's human resources, women will benefit from activities that are geared towards fostering human-centred development. However, in view of the particularly unfavourable cir- cumstances of Africanwomen,.it is essential that their concerns beintegrated, as much as possible, in all programmed activitiesof ECA.

To facilitatesuch a process, the African Training and Research Centre for Women would be more involved in the design and delivery of activitiesin the various subprogrammes of ECA.

C. Operational implications

In order to achieve programme delivery around the identified areas of focus, greater attention will have to be given to such impor- tant areasas programme budgetingon the one

hand, and monitoring and evaluation on the other. These two factors should inter-relate to focus on high-quality, actionable and sig- nificant accomplishments.

1. Programme and budget

In the preparation of future biennial programmes and in the context of the Medium- term Plan, activities should be designed with the maximum flexibility in execution. ECA would consult more closely with other United Nations agencies so as to enhance the com- plementarity and convergenceof programmes.

In this regard, the following will constitute some of the basicelements for future program- ming:

(a) Early discussions with key groups on themes for programming in which various options are considered;

(b) Use of existing professional and consultative groups associated with ECA to advise on future activities to be programmed; and

(c) In addition, setting up of two advisory groups, namely:

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(i) an advisory group on research to include representatives of major consortia of African economic research and other high-level groups of experts to advise on future activities to be programmed and, as may be required, to act as a peer review panel for major ECA products; and

(ii) a panel of representatives of grass-roots and non-governmental actors in Africa to also advise on ECA activities that have to be included in its programmes.

2. Monitoring and evaluation

ECA should enhance its monitoring sys- tems to emphasize the impact of its activities.

To that end, programmed activities could be clustered depending on their direct relevance to the identified areasof focus. Such clustering mayeventually.overlapas some activities may directly relate to more than one area of focus.

This will not only ensure an action-oriented monitqring system, but it will also ensure proper evaluation.

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IV. MANAGING FOR QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY

A hallmark ofa successfulorganization is that it constantlyseeks to improve the quality of its products and enhance the efficiency of the process for theirdelivery. To achievethe above objective,thereis need for more efficient management and structure.

A. Assuring high-quality products

There are many areas which will require a close examination in order to improve the quality of ECA'sproducts. There are,however, important aspects of ECA activities, outlined below which need immediate attention.

1. Conferences and meetings

One of the more important mechanisms for communication between the ECA secretariat and its member States has been through conferences, seminars, workshops and dissemination of research papers. Thereis no doubt that this mechanism can be cost effective, but there is no guarantee that the medium wiU always achievethe results desired.

Attendance at meetings is not an end in itself; rather, a meeting's objective is to ensure that the results achieved are beneficial to both participants and to ECA. To achieve this, the objective of a meeting should be clearly spelt out, taking into account the role of the par- ticipants in development activities. The meet- ing should be well structured, the documents for discussion should be carefully vetted to ensure quality, and well introduced. There should be follow-up to determine whether the lessons learntin the meetingare beingputinto practice.

There is a need to thin down conference agendas, concentratingto the extent possible on specific themes and practical steps. There is a need also to reduce the number of meet- ings. Asa first step, consideration should be givento the clustering of meetings, depending on their subjects, in order to minimize atten- dance and servicing costs for participants and ECA respectively.

2. Improving the quality of contacts with governments

The secretariat's effectiveness can be no greater than its familiarity with the economic circumstancesofits member States. Part of the knowledge will be acquired through profes- sional interaction at conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings of experts; through collaboration with African professional associa- tions and universities; and with the diplomatic corps in Addis Ababa, New York, Geneva and Vienna. Ultimately,there is no substitute for country visits. Given ECA's limited travel budget, country visits will have to be carefully planned,with a clear agenda. To enhance the effectivenessof the visits, the secretariatstaff should establish closer working relationships with focal points withinthe governments.

3. Research and analysis

For the secretariat to improveits research and analysis capacity, it should rely firstonits mostimportant assetwhichisits highlytrained professional staff. The staff's professionalism will be enhanced by encouragingand facilitat- ing cross-divisional cooperation in program- mes, including peer review for quality, and ensuring the multidisciplinary approach to development issues. An essential part of fostering this effort andinteract ion would be the organization and holding of staff seminars on a regular basis. Collaboration with profes- sional associations would also be encouraged.

The present 'Silver Jubilee lecture served by eminent personswillbe continuedand comple- mented by a guest lecturer series on quarterly basis. In selecting the persons for the guest lecturer series, attention would be paid to people with a wide visionof and experience in theirfieldsof competence and the world. Such lectures would be tiedto meetings convened in AddisAbaba.

For the secretariat to playa pro-activerole in the 1990s, it will evolve systems and proce- dures to respond quicklyto, and to anticipate, major changes. The following actions will be considered: first, ECA's capacity will be strengthened to enhance its forecasting capabilities; second, the secretariat wil!

strengthen its linkages with research institu-

tions, the multilateral financial institutions (MFls) and other United Nations agencies and member governments so as to keep itself abreast with the latest developments; third, ECA will endeavour to mobilize external experts to join in key research activities. This will fur- ther enhance the professional significance and influence of ECA research products.

4. Improving the quality and market- ing of ECA's written materials

ECA will give increased attention to im- proving the substance, presentation and dis- tribution of its written materials through the adoption of a number of measures among which are the following:

(a) Making its publications subject to peer review whenever feasible. This will provide professional scr.eening of reports and advice on strengthening the content of reports;

(b) Strengthening its capacities to review the presentation and content of reports via an Editorial Board;

(c) Creating enhanced in-housegraphics and editorial capacities; and

(d) Instituting a marketing strategy for its reports consistent with the markets identified in section I and in the key relationships noted in section II of this report. An appropriate institutional backing in terms of staff and budget resources for an approved marketing strategy will need to be devised..

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B. Financial options for the future

The magnitude and complexity of the tasks as set forth in this report challenge the financial resources available to ECA. Already ECA receives almost 50 per cent of its funding from extrabudgetary sources. That funding is not well assured, given its inherent nature.

Moreover, ECA has every indication that some of these extrabudgetary sources will likely not be available to it starting in the 1993-1994 budget biennium. This is all the more reason to search for efficiency in the operations of ECA.

There is no question, however, that ECA must expand its existing funding base of ex- trabudgetary resources to enhance its options to respond faster and with more flexibility as major development issues arise in Africa. This expansion is all the more necessary to provide financial security to ECA in the light of a prospective erosion of the current ex- trabudgetary base.

v. ^CONCLUSION

The various measures outlined in this document are intended to make the ECA secretariat better fulfil its terms of reference, especially in the light of many recent changes in Africa and the rest of the world. This com- mitment to increasing the secretariat's impact and competitiveness has been the hallmark of many previous reform efforts. Then, as now, the success of the present efforts will depend crucially on the collective and strong commit- ment of member States and the support of their development partners, as well as the cooperation of the United Nations system.

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