Leadership baton changes hands at ECA as Janneh retires ECA

Abstract

The staff and management of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) await their new Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary following the retirement of Abdoulie Janneh at the end of August 2012 after seven years at ECA. Mr. Janneh, bowed to a rousing standing ovation last Thursday 29 August 2012, in a heavily attended staff town hall meeting. The day after, 30 August, a lively seminar took place on his thoughts and writings in two areas that, he often admitted, consumed most of his energies throughout his term at ECA - regional integration, partnerships and sustainable development. The seminar was attended by ECA member States, senior managers from the African Union Commission, and UN staff based in Ethiopia. The high point of the seminar was the launch of two publications: “Integrating Africa” and “Reflections on Africa’s Development”. Integrating Africa is a 323-page collection of some of Janneh’s policy statements over the last seven years, centering on the Africa Policy Agenda; Regional Integration, Partnerships; the Financial Crisis and Africa’s Special Needs.