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The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) recently concluded its annual and fourth quarter (Q4) Accountability and Programme Performance Review Meeting (APPRM) and preparation of the 2024 Annual Business Plan.

The annual review held on December 15-17 is a key component of the institution’s reflection and planning process on its activities with its member states and partners.

ECA Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete, acknowledged the need to build linkages across the continent, enhance collaboration and strengthen partnerships as these are key for the achievement of the sustainable development and Africa’s transformational agendas.

“More emphasis is needed on creating better interfaces between social policy and macro-economic policies; between energy and industrialization and economic diversification, with the key experts working across the various workstreams and with partners and the private sector to achieve this,” he stressed.

Said Adejumobi, the and lead organizer of the annual review underscored the importance of the ongoing horizontal collaboration between the ECA subregional offices, stressed the need for this collaboration to be intensified, with more programmatic collaboration in areas such as migration, industrialization, private sector development/SMEs, among others. There would be greater effort to establish communities of practice on the common areas of work.

Looking forward to 2024, ECA through its various divisions will focus on areas of interventions that will ensure progress on the achievement of the two agendas such as inclusion of The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the SDG country frameworks, conduct research/analysis on issues of governance, peace and security and a deeper focus on sustainable development in Africa’s transformation. Data and statistics will continue to play a central role as will the need for upscaling technologies and innovation.

“For an inclusive and sustainable development and a climate resilient continent, ECA will support countries implement initiatives that harness new technologies and innovation and work with member states on strengthening their capacity in production, dissemination and use of credible data, statistics and geospatial information,” agreed the meeting.

In support of AfCFTA implementation, focus will be on strengthening regional cooperation and integration among countries through increased trade flows, improved industrialization and increased investment.

ECA will also continue to provide advisory services to member states, facilitate collaboration and ensure coherence at regional, sub-regional and national levels through an integrated approach under all its research tracks that include strengthening macroeconomic policy, boosting the implementation of AfCFTA, enhancing resilience through climate action and energy just transition.

Among the many achievements discussed, it was highlighted that member states have used ECA’s macroeconomic model in their development of national policy documents including national development plans, debt strategies, GDP analyses and high level policies. Countries are also using ECA’s tools and techniques for estimating fiscal capacity and city GDPs.

“If we collaborate with the other stakeholders, governments and the private sector with a focus on results and delivering as one, we can be sure that we shall achieve both Agendas,” said Mr. Gatete adding the need to increase peer-learning and best practices between member states to move together as a continent.