ECA and NEPAD Secretariat agree on a Framework for Collaboration

Addis Ababa: The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the NEPAD Secretariat have agreed on a broad framework to guide future collaboration between the two organizations in a more structured and systematic manner. The Framework was one of the outcomes of the official visit to ECA Headquarters in Addis Ababa, by Dr. Hesphina Rukato, Deputy Chief Executive of NEPAD Secretariat and Karim Khalil, Trade Coordinator at the Secretariat.

Both organizations said that the framework would be guided by the pursuit of a common African vision through the implementation of the NEPAD agenda; the pursuit of the African agenda on the basis of complementarity and the recognition of each organization's comparative advantage in advancing the NEPAD agenda.

In a welcoming address, ECA's acting Deputy Executive Secretary, Josephine Ouedraogo, who is also the Commission's focal point for the MOU, said ECA would continue to align its work programme with the priorities of the African Union and the NEPAD Agenda. She added that ECA's contribution to the APRM process, Mutual Accountability and the UN Regional Consultation mechanisms, had helped to consolidate NEPAD objectives.

The Framework is expected to be developed into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which would be signed by the Chief Executives of both organizations.