At 60th commemoration, ECA launches Africa Poverty Clock to monitor progress against extreme poverty

Abstract

At its 60 anniversary celebrations this week in Addis Ababa, the Economic Commission for Africa launched the Africa Poverty Clock. The clock is a customized version of the world poverty clock developed by World Data Lab, aimed at monitoring progress against extreme poverty, an aspiration of the United Nations’ first Sustainable Development Goal - SDG1. The Clock provides real-time poverty estimates until 2030 for the majority of countries around the world. The launch took place in the presence of Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonen, Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator and the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Kwesy Quartey and Ambassador Elsadig Omer Abdalla, Deputy Head of Mission and Charge d’Affaires, Republic of Sudan. Members of the Diplomatic Corps and key representatives from partner institutions, Think Tanks, Civil Society Organizations, University Students, High School Students and the Private Sector were in attendance.