Tangiers, Morocco — March 28 – April 3, 2026 — The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), proudly announces a high-level Ministerial Policy Dialogue as a key side event on the margins of the 58th session of the ECA Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (CoM), taking place from March 28 to April 3, 2026, at the Palace of Art and Culture, Tangier, Morocco. This significant gathering coincides with Women's Month.
The dialogue, themed “Ministerial Policy Dialogue on the African Women’s Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion,” aims to place women's financial and economic inclusion at the forefront of Africa's economic transformation agenda. This is in alignment with the overarching Conference’s theme, "Growth through innovation: Harnessing data and frontier technologies for Africa's economic transformation."
During this timely event, discussions will center around three key Africa-led measurement frameworks that will guide the dialogue:
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The African Gender and Development Index (AGDI): Developed by ECA, this Index assesses government commitments and policies for advancing gender equality from a rights-based perspective.
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The Africa Gender Index (AGI): A joint initiative of ECA and the African Development Bank, this Index measures progress towards gender equality and women's empowerment across the continent.
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The African Women’s Inclusion Index (AWII): Developed by ACET, it evaluates the lived economic outcomes of women, exploring how they engage with and benefit from Africa’s economies.
Comprehensive analyses, including the upcoming Africa Women's Report 2025, will offer insights into the interplay between women's and youth employment, financial inclusion, and technology. By utilizing gender-responsive data systems and frontier technologies, the dialogue seeks to unlock women’s full economic potential, ultimately driving inclusive growth.
The Ministerial Policy Dialogue aims to achieve the following objectives:
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Elevate Women’s Economic Inclusion: Establish women's economic inclusion as a core macroeconomic and fiscal priority using Africa-led evidence.
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Enhance Understanding: Provide ministers and senior officials with insights on leveraging gender-responsive data and digital solutions in broader economic transformation strategies.
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Identify Policy Actions: Develop policy messages and priority actions for integrating women's economic empowerment into various economic frameworks.
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Clarify Usage of Indices: Outline practical applications of the AGDI, AGI, and AWII to support the implementation of CoM decisions and the African Union’s Women's Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion.
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Foster Collaboration: Create opportunities for follow-up support, peer learning, and regional initiatives linking women's empowerment and structural transformation.
Through this dialogue, participants will enhance their approach to advancing women's economic participation where the key outcomes will include a clearer understanding of how data and technology can advance women's financial inclusion, an identification of a concise set of policy measures tailored to bolster gender-responsive fiscal and financial sector reforms, frameworks for utilizing analytical tools that support Africa’s economic strategies and opportunities for ongoing collaboration in policy implementation and best practices.
This event will feature prominent speakers, as well as Finance Ministers and Ministers responsible for Gender Equality and Women's Affairs across the African continent.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org