ECCAS meeting welcomes ERA 2007 recommendations

12 June 2007

The key findings of the 2007 Economic Report on Africa (ERA, were presented last week in Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) to the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). This was the first briefing session on the report for a sub regional body since its official launch in April in Addis Ababa, during the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. ERA 2007, which was jointly published by ECA and the African Union Commission, focuses on the theme "Accelerating Africa's Development through Diversification

While addressing the ministerial session of ECCAS, Mr.Abdoulahi Mahamat, a Senior Economic Affairs Officer in ECA's Trade, Finance and Economic Development Division (TFED), highlighted concerns raised by ERA 2007 about the sustainability of Africa's recent economic growth momentum in the medium term. In that context, he also urged ministers to consider the wide range of policy recommendations outlined in the report to increase the degree of economic diversification in their respective countries.

The presentation of ERA 2007 at a major meeting of a regional economic community (REC) is part of the new dynamic approach to the launching of ECA's flagship publications which devotes a greater attention to ensuring wide spread dissemination at the sub-regional and national level. In that regard, a key emphasis is placed on working in collaboration with the RECs to promote dialogue with a cross section of stakeholders on the issues and recommendations raised in the Commission's major reports.

Prior to the briefing on ERA 2007, ECA's sub regional office in Central Africa (ECA-CA) made a presentation to the ECCAS Summit expert's meeting on the findings of the Commission's annual assessment of the economic performance of the sub region. Mr Hachim Koumare, director of ECA-CA noted that “ the presentation of ECA's flagship publications before the ECCAS bodies is a clear indication of the fruitful collaboration between the two institutions.”

ECA's mission team also held a well-attended press briefing on ERA 2007 at the United Nations Information Center in Brazzaville.