What is CSD?

The Committee on Sustainable Development (CSD), established in April 1996 by the Twenty-third Meeting of the Conference of African Ministers responsible for Economic and Social Development and Planning, is one of the seven subsidiary bodies of the above-referred Conference of Ministers. The Terms of Reference of the CSD as established by the Conference of Ministers are as follows:

"This Committee would serve as a forum of experts that will provide advice to ECA in the interlinked areas of food security, population, environment and human settlements. In this regard, it will provide a platform for advocacy and the assessment of follow-up activities by African Governments to regional and global plans of action, namely the African Common Position on Environment and Development, the African Common Position for Habitat II, the Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, Family and Sustainable Development, Agenda 21, the Habitat Agenda, the Cairo Programme of Action on Population and Development and the Programme of Action of the World Food Summit and their implementation."

The CSD serves as a forum for the promotion of co-operation, exchange of information and sharing of experiences in the area of agriculture, population, environment and human settlements aimed alleviating food insecurity and achieving the sustainable development of Africa. It assists also in providing advice in the above-mentioned fields to the member states and to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on ways to strengthen its support to member states. The CSD is composed of high-level experts from the public and private sector and civil society and meets on a biennial basis.

The CSD provides policy and technical guidance to the ECA’s sub-programme on "food security and sustainable development" and the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division (FSSDD) is responsible for implementing this sub-programme which covers agriculture, population, environment and human settlements and the cross-cutting theme of science and technology.

The first CSD was held in January 1999 here in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).

CSD Constitution and Functions

Third CSD Meeting, October 2003

Second CSD Meeting, November 2001

First CSD Meeting, January 1999