Joint AUC/ECA Conference of the African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development ends in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, 31^st March 2015 - The Eighth Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development , closed on 31 March 2015  at the Conference Center of the UNECA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Addressing participants at the closing ceremony, Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) said the meeting comes at a timely period in line with the AU transformation agenda. He reiterated the importance of domesticating Agenda 2063 into the national policies and plans of Member States.  “We should go beyond domesticating the Agenda 2063 and internalize it”, he underscored. According to the Deputy Chairperson, efforts have been taken to incorporate the Agenda 2063 into Pan-African University curriculum among others. “Transformation is at the centre of our deliberations” he said, underscoring the essence of resource mobilization for Agenda 2063. “in preparing Agenda 2063 we made sure that there is consensus and ownership of this document  to ensure that it is doable”. He called on the ministers saying they will have a critical role to play in ensuring that the recommendations adopted during this meeting be fully implemented into their respective national policies.

In the same vein Mr. Abdalla Hamdok, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa pointed out that this year’s theme is relevant and timely for the important journey of economic transformation. “The conference of Ministers provided an opportunity for Africa to reflect on its financial position so as to represent one voice for Africa, he underlined.

Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe, Minister of East African Integration, United Republic of Tanzania and Chair of the Bureau emphasized that the meeting should serve as a reminder to Africans that Agenda 2063 is not for foreign investors but it is for the continents development. He urged the ministers to take the resolutions and deliberations with all seriousness as a way of moving forward.