Africa needs to safeguard its economic growth, Janneh tells leaders

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Africa needs to safeguard its economic growth, Janneh tells leaders

ECA Press Release No. 05/2012

Addis Ababa, 28 January 2012 (ECA) - The United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa today reminded African leaders of the need to watch against new threats from other parts of the global economy which could hamper Africa’s current development trajectory.

Addressing the opening session of the 26th Meeting of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) in Addis Ababa this morning, Mr. Abdoulie Janneh said that Africa has the potential to become a new pole of global growth “…but must remain mindful of the ominous threats from other parts of the global economy, particularly the eurozone crisis”.

In a comprehensive report on two areas of ECA cooperation with the NEPAD Programme, Mr.

Janneh reviewed progress made by the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM) and on

the Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness (MRDE). He assured African leaders that ECA would continue to support these initiatives.

He reiterated the fact that the mandate “given to ECA with regards to RCM-Africa process and the MRDE are for us a matter of trust on which we will continue to deliver”, according to ECA’s Information and Communication Service.

It is for that reason, he explained, that ECA has signed a multiyear programme with the NEPAD Agency to support its work, including through institutional strengthening and deployment of advisers.

Speaking on the specific achievements of the RCM, Mr. Janneh recalled its 12th Session which took place in Addis Ababa in November 2011 that had been entirely devoted to “capacity building”. The Session deliberated on the implementation of the UN Ten-Year Capacity Building Programme for the African Union; the work of the MDG Africa Working Group; and Africa’s preparation for the Rio +20 meeting.

Rio + 20 is the United Nations conference on sustainable development that will be held in Brazil (June 20 – 22, 2012) to renew global commitments to sustainable development 20 years after the first conference convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Turning to the 2011 report of the Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness (MRDE), Mr. Janneh pointed to highlights of the report which include better economic management and sustained economic growth; social development; governance, peace and security and climate change.

In each of these areas he elaborated on the achievements made and provided elements for forging ahead with the work in progress.

“Some of the policy priorities identified in the report relate to the African progress in maintaining the economic and governance reforms in the continent, intensifying regional integration and accelerating progress towards achieving the MDGs”, he said.

The Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness is a regular report mandated by African leaders and is undertaken jointly by the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the OECD. The 2011 report is structured around four major cluster areas:

sustainable economic growth, investing in people, good governance and financing for development.

The NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) was established through a Declaration of the 2001 OAU Summit in Lusaka, Zambia. At the 14th African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February 2010 the HSGIC was transformed into the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC).

Issued by:

ECA Information and Communication Service P.O. Box 3001

Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Tel: 251 11 5445098 Fax: +251-11-551 03 65 E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org

Web: www.uneca.org

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