Fourth Africa Development Forum: "Governance for a Progressing Africa"

Abstract

Statement by K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary ECA at the Fourth Africa Development Forum "Governance for a Progressing Africa". Mr. Amoako, on his remarks highlighted that, This is the fourth African Development Forum. The first ADF was held in 1999, on the topic of Information and Communications. Its major impact has been to help countries embrace new technology more quickly. In 1999, only six African countries had comprehensive ICT policies. Today 22 countries have adopted such policies. I'm pleased to note that Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana, Malawi, Burundi and Cameroon all cite ADF 1 as a factor leading to their policy positions. The Second ADF in 2000 focused on AIDS as the greatest leadership challenge in Africa. That Forum was widely seen as a turning point in Africa. ADF II established that the economic, social and governance implications of the crisis simply could not be left to ministries of health, but must become the concern of all parts of government and society. The Forum produced a Consensus and Plan of Action, which was incorporated by Africa's leaders into the Abuja declaration of early 2001.