Dakar/Addis Ababa, 15 November 2023 – The African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) welcomed, on Wednesday 15th November, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and online, more than 100 African experts at a High-level conference to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
This hybrid event provided a framework for senior government officials, senior development policy and planning officials, development thinkers and researchers, representatives from international organizations, and diplomats from across Africa, to discuss the theme “Renewal of Development Planning: learning from 60 years of practice in Africa and Shaping the Future”.
Mr. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), reflecting on his experiences in senior government positions, notably as Minister of Infrastructure, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and Governor of the Central Bank of Rwanda, stressed the importance of strong political commitment on national priorities, leadership, development coordination, and accountability for results, as the bedrocks for an effective development planning.
“Financing for development is essential to unlocking Africa’s full potential. Governments should provide innovative solutions through targeted incentives to reduce financing risks to attract vital private sector investments.”, highlighted Mr Getete.
“We need to reform international financial institutions to obtain more resources in order to have better access to finance in the best markets. There is the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 for Africa and thanks to these programs we can find funding for African economic architecture”, he added.
“The challenges persist of course, but the opportunities are there: opportunities offered by a young continent, where the population aspires to perspectives other than migration or extremism, a continent rich in its subsoil, its forests, its biodiversity, its arable land, its coastline, its culture”, said Ms Karima Bounemra Ben Soltane, IDEP Director.
“It is because we are aware of this multiple wealth and the opportunities it presents that we are convinced that IDEP, which has supported its member states for 60 years, still has a vital role to play in the years and decades to come, training being the key and a prerequisite to the successful development of our countries” she added.
The conference benefited from the insights of prominent development actors and researchers including Mr. Amara Kallon, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, Sierra Leone and alumnus of IDEP ; Mr. Mod Secka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, The Gambia and alumnus of IDEP ; Ms. Rosine Sori-Coulibaly, former Minister of Economy, Finance and Development, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Burkina Faso; Mr. Ibrahima Sall, Former Minister of Planning of Senegal; Professor Fiona Tregenna from the University of Johannesburg ; Mr. Thomas Chataghalala Munthali, Director General National Planning Commission, Malawi ; Mr. Nassim Oulmane, Acting Director, Technology, Climate, Natural Resource Division (TCND), ECA and Ms. Sara Hamouda, Continental governance program officer in charge, M&E Directorate, APRM continental secretariat.
Supporting African countries in strengthening economic management capacities
The General Assembly of the United Nations has created the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) in 1962 as a pan-African institution with the mandate to accompany and support the newly independent African countries in their quest to build their human resources capacities.
IDEP began its operations on 23rd November 1963 and has been guided by this mandate over the years since its establishment. The year 2023 coincides with the 60th anniversary of IDEP, which corresponds roughly with the period since the attainment of independence by most African countries.
On its 60th anniversary celebrations, it is appropriate for IDEP to convene a continental reflection on the lessons from 60 years of development planning and explore solutions for effective design, funding, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the development agendas in Africa taking into account the mega trends that have shaped its past.
The conference was organised in three main panels that capture the specific objectives of the event. The first panel focused on “Six decades of development planning in Africa: Tacking stock of experiences and capacities of African countries”. The second panel discussed “Rethinking development planning in Africa: adapting approaches to the requirements of long-term visions and sustainable development”. The third panel debated the theme “Leveraging on strategic foresight for an agile, robust, and forward-looking development planning in Africa”.
The conclusions of the conference will give African countries key arguments and policy directions for improving strategic foresight and cutting-edge skills for an effective development planning at national, regional, and continental levels.
Issued by:
African Institute for Economic Development and Planning
E-Learning – Knowledge & Management Division
Rue du 18 Juin (behind the National Assembly)
Dakar
Senegal
Tel.: (+221) 33 829 55 00 / 33 829 55 27