UNECA at 35

Abstract

The establishment of UNECA in 1958 coincided with the period of accelerated momentum for national independence for African countries. Then, as now, UNECA recognized that the only way it can best serve the member States is to remain at the forefront of strategic policy innovations on Africa's socio-economic development. This publication, released to mark the end of the 35th anniversary of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the beginning of its 36th, undertakes all these tasks. As a record of UNECA's past, this document gives an historical account of UNECA's early years, describes its mandate, and explains the nature and scope of its activities in support of the socio-economic development of the member States of the Commission. It is helpful to mention that the record of UNECA's performance in its first twenty-five years of existence had been documented in its Silver Jubilee publication "25 Years of Service of African Development and Integration". This current publication necessarily draws upon and updates that, silver jubilee publication.