Statement to 3rd joint meeting of AU conference of ministers of economy and finance and ECA conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economic development by Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA 25 March 2010 Lilongwe

Abstract

Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA at the third Joint Meeting of AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development deliver this Statement. Mr. Janneh, on his remarks highlighted that, this annual gathering is an important one in the African development landscape. It enables Africa’s leading development experts to exchange views on Africa’s progress over the past one year and on what ECA has done in pursuit of its mandate over the past one year. Your meetings also enable a review of a broad range of issues of development interest and spur debate on a specific and topical theme, in this instance on “Promoting high-level sustainable growth to reduce unemployment in Africa”. Another area of focus was climate change which continues to pose serious difficulties for Africa and which is why it is imperative that we continue to participate actively in global processes in this area. The Issues Paper prepared for this meeting and the 2010 Economic Report on Africa examine these issues and will no doubt enrich your debate which should also take account of the Global Jobs Pact adopted by the International Labor Organization and the UN Economic and Social Council to stimulate economic recovery, generate jobs and provide social protection.