Draft report of the third joint annual meeting of the AU Conference of ministers of economy and finance and ECA Conference of African ministers of finance, planning and Economic development

Abstract

The Third Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development was held in Lilongwe, Malawi. The Conference adopted the agenda under the theme: Promoting high-level sustainable growth to reduce unemployment in Africa. Under this agenda item, a representative of the secretariat presented a document entitled, Overview of economic and social conditions in Africa in 2009 highlighting the three main messages contained in the document. First, that the recent global financial crisis took a heavy toll on economic activities, employment and social conditions in Africa; second, that growth was expected to pick up in 2010, although haltingly; and third, that the prospects of achieving social development and the overall objectives of NEPAD could be compromised unless bold actions were taken to ensure that African countries embark on a path of high, sustainable and employment-generating growth.