Interactive Dialogue of the Executive Secretaries with ECOSOC Geneva, Switzerland 6 July 2007 Strengthening efforts at all levels to promote pro-poor sustained economic growth: an African perspective Abdoulie Janneh Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa

 Stronger economic performance in Africa  5.7 per cent in 2006  Fragile and insufficient growth for achieving the MDGs  Some key challenges  Poverty, unemployment, income inequality  Commodity dependence  Addressing the challenges -- Efforts at three levels  National: improved macroeconomic management, structural reforms, enhanced resource mobilization  Regional: provision of regional public goods including infrastructure, deepening intra- regional trade  Global: increasing ODA flows, debt relief, market access, reform of the international aid architecture Development challenges in Africa

 2004 African Union (AU) Extraordinary Summit in Ouagadougou on Employment and Poverty Alleviation  2007 AU Summit in Addis Ababa on Climate Change and Industrialization  Meetings of African Ministers of Trade  ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Regional responses

 Two thematic pillars  Promoting regional integration in support of the African vision and priorities  Meeting Africa’s special needs and emerging global challenges  Enhanced partnerships  Strengthened subregional presence through the SROs  Improved coordination/cooperation of UN activities  Emphasis on knowledge management and quality assurance ECA new vision to support the African development agenda

 Knowledge generation, sharing, networking  Research and analytical work  Facilitating South-South linkages  Consensus building and policy advocacy  African Development Forum  Big Table  Technical cooperation, advisory services  International trade negotiations  MDG-based assessment and planning  Macroeconomic policy making  Statistics ECA new vision (Cont’d)

 Outcome of the last session of the Commission (April 2007) – A Call for Action  Ownership and self-belief  MDG-based comprehensive national development strategies  Resource mobilization  Investment in gender equality  Climate change and development  Implementation of ODA commitment  Generating employment Accelerating Africa’s Development

 Economic diversification – key to success  Economic Report on Africa 2007 on diversification shows  Reduced macroeconomic instability - Less vulnerability to terms of trade shocks  Increased economic growth  Higher employment creation  Reaping benefits from globalization, through increased trade flows Accelerating Africa’s Development (Cont’d)

 These actions taken together should contribute to a growth framework in African countries that is both pro-poor and sustainable Conclusion

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