Report of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on its work during the fifty-sixth session of the Economic Commission for Africa

Abstract

The 56th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development was held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in a hybrid format on 4–5 March 2024. The meeting brought together representatives from African member states, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and civil society to discuss key economic challenges, including climate change, debt sustainability, and green transition. Discussions emphasized the need for structural reforms, enhanced regional integration (particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area), innovative financing mechanisms, and stronger domestic resource mobilization. Key speakers, including Zimbabwean officials, the African Union Commission, and the ECA Executive Secretary, highlighted Africa’s vulnerability to climate change and called for global financial architecture reforms, private sector engagement, and investment in technology to drive inclusive green growth.